


A Hacker and His Hunter

by Shaylybaby2032



Category: Supernatural, The Agency (TV 2001)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Blood and Gore, Blow Jobs, Dirty Talk, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Heterosexual Sex, Light Bondage, M/M, Minor Character Death, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possession, Smut, Temporary Character Death, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-08-20 22:02:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 130,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20235082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shaylybaby2032/pseuds/Shaylybaby2032
Summary: Lex's life has been all about computers, codes, and hacking for the CIA. However, when he meets the new undercover operative, he falls head over heels and learns more about the things that go bump in the night than he bargained for.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As always thank you to the amazing datajana for being my beta. Also, I have ignored the last two episodes of The Agency for obvious reasons to anyone that has watched the series. I gave A.B. Stiles the first name, Aiden. Taken from the last alias he used in the series.
> 
> *Work is complete but I will posting chapters separately at least once a week.*

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_ Langley, Virginia _

  
Director Tom Gage of the CIA sat in his office at his desk going over paperwork on the new undercover operative he had recruited. He had known the woman for most of her career, meeting her after she had been in the Army for just a short time and he was there years later when she achieved the rank of major. It wasn't long after that she and a few other soldiers of his choosing had joined a special task force that he personally oversaw. She and the other soldiers on this team had mostly given up their friends and families, keeping only enough contact to let them know that they were alive. Their mission was dangerous and would likely result in their demise one day. They also knew that it was not only for the good of their country, but for the good of the world.

For the most part, he gave them free rein to do what they needed to do. They knew their mission and were extremely good at their jobs. His role was to make sure their activities flew under the radar of the prying eyes of the government while still keeping them close enough to be considered part of the U.S. Army. It was a job that took careful and delicate planning on his part and, even though most would never know of what this particular team carried out, it was the one he was most proud of. When certain “unique circumstances” this special task force specialized in reared their ugly heads in the government, Gage knew he needed to bring in the best he had.

The mission would need to be handled with great care, and would require bringing in a few of his people from the CIA, which also meant his new operative would have to keep those people in the dark about more than a few matters and only give them enough information to do their jobs. 

"Director Gage?" 

The voice of his secretary came cheerily through the intercom on his desk, and he reached over to press the talk button.

"Yes, Aniyah?"

"Your two o'clock is here, sir."

Gage grinned to himself. "Right on time," he chuckled before he pressed the talk button again. "Go ahead and send her in, please."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you, Aniyah."

Gage stood and walked around his desk as a woman with dark blonde shoulder-length hair opened the door to his office and entered inside. Her deep azure blue eyes sparkled and a smile crossed her lips as she closed the door behind her. He returned her sentiment and stepped forward extending his hand.

"It's good to actually see you in person again, Alexandria."

"It's good to see you too, Tom," she replied as she shook his offered hand.

"Please, have a seat," Gage instructed as he made his way back to his own chair. He waited for her to sit before he continued. "I trust the flight wasn't too bad?"

"When you’re used to tiny tin cans that really have no business being in the air, any commercial flight is living the high life," she said with a slight chuckle.

"Are you settled into your apartment?"

"Yes, thanks for having it furnished. Though, do you really think I'll be here that long?"

Gage sighed as he leaned back in his chair, and his professionalism drained from his face. "I honestly don't know how deep this thing goes, Andy. I only know the small bits of information I've given you. I think you will have to take the team I told you about and hunt them down. The only upside is that it appears to just be in Rhode Island for now."

Andy nodded slowly as she absorbed his words. "Nothing I can't handle, Tom. You know I've worked with all kinds of people who still have no clue what we were really hunting down."

"That's why I called you." He paused, debating whether he should ask his next question. "Do the brothers know you are back stateside?"

"Yes, I got in touch with the older one last night after I landed. He said to just let him know if we need any help."

"Do they still have their home base in Kansas?"

"Yeah, they're still in the bunker. They want me to come visit."

"Well," Gage said as he rose to his feet with Andy following his lead. "Let's hope you get to do so on purely social pretenses. I think you should head down to OTS and meet the rest of the team you will be working with."

"Sounds like a plan."

With a nod, Andy turned and started to exit.

"Oh, one more thing!" Gage said, catching her just before she opened the door. He waited for her to face him again before he spoke. "Does Stiles know you are here yet?"

A wide grin encompassed Andy's features. "Not yet, thought I should meet up with you first. Plus, I needed sleep last night."

Gage chuckled as he shook his head slightly. "Is it going to be a problem working so closely with him? He's _ very good _ at what he does."

"So am I, Tom," she said with a wink.

* * *

Lex hated "busy work,”—despised it would probably be a more accurate term. Yet, there he sat, typing away on his computer doing boring, mind numbing, mundane _ busy work _. The same crap work he had been doing since Director Gage announced that he had recruited another undercover operative. His only solace was the new employee was supposed to be here today. Maybe once they got there he would find out why Gage put a grinding halt on everything he, Terri, Joshua, and Stiles had been doing.

The sound of Terri huffing in frustration as she sat down in front of her computer next to him pulled his attention and he couldn't put into words how grateful he was for the distraction.

"You sound happy," he said sarcastically.

"Joshua has me making _ more _ Irish visas," she grumbled. "That's all I've done for two days. These things don't even have names on them! Better than Stiles I guess. Gage has him running office errands."

"Speaking of Stiles," Lex said as he glanced down at a gray file folder beside his keyboard. He picked it up and handed it to her. "Here, you'll probably see him before I do."

"What's this?" Terri asked as she looked at the name written across the top that read _ A. Stiles _.

"Dunno, Joshua laid it down earlier."

As if he felt them talking about him, Stiles walked into the room with a look of ire that matched what Terri and Lex were feeling.

"I just went and got computer paper for Gage," he groused, sitting down on the desk between the two computers. "Please tell me one of you has something more interesting going on."

"Well, this has your name on it," Terri said and handed the folder to him.

His brow furrowed in confusion as he opened it. Inside were papers with occult symbols he had never seen before, along with notes on each one. He flicked the folder closed and examined the name on the front. He felt his breath catch and tried to shove down the small glimmer of hope that flared in his chest when he saw _ A. Stiles _ written on the top instead of his normal _ A.B. Stiles _. Could it be?

"I don't think this is for me," Stiles said cautiously.

"It has your name on it," Lex exclaimed incredulously. "How many people with the last name ‘Stiles’ even work here?" He raised his mug of tea to his lips and studied the man in front of him.

"They've recently added one more to the roster."

All three immediately turned at the sound of the female voice that belonged to Andy, the new operative. Terri simply raised her brow in speculation at the woman's sudden appearance, but the two men had much different reactions. Lex coughed and sputtered on the liquid in his mouth as he took in the woman standing less than six feet away. He did his best to recover from the embarrassing act as she turned to regard him, but when she smiled he suddenly forgot he had the ability to talk, or to stop staring at her for that matter.

Her eyes turned back to Stiles, who was sitting stock-still on the desk. His mouth was hanging slightly agape as he looked the woman up and down, trying to figure out if she was real or not.

"Hey, bro," she greeted.

The file in Stiles' hand fell to the ground as he quickly stood and crossed over to her in two long strides. He wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to him in a tight hug. He fought back the sting of tears he felt welling at the corners of his eyes when he felt her return his gesture. 

Terri's gaze quickly turned suspicious at the way he had greeted the woman. She glanced over to Lex, hoping to find the same sentiment, but rolled her eyes when she realized he was still blatantly staring at the girl in Stiles’ embrace.

"I've missed you so much!" Stiles choked out, his voice thick with emotion.

"I've missed you, too!"

"Why are you here?" Stiles asked, only pulling back enough to look down into her face. 

"You're looking at the CIA's newest undercover operative!!" she told him with a wide grin.

"Really?!" He couldn't hide the elation in his tone or features. "That's fantastic!"

Lex, having finally remembered he could speak, cleared his throat. Stiles and Andy broke their embrace to face him and Terri, both who held looks of bewilderment on their faces.

"Right!" Stiles said, throwing his arm over Andy's shoulders and leading her closer to the other two. "I would like to introduce you to my sister, Alexandria Stiles. Sis, this is Lex and Terri."

"Nice to meet you both, but please, call me Andy."

Lex quickly rose to his feet, stepping around Stiles to stand in front of Andy with a charming smile on his face and an extended hand as he looked into her eyes, the deep sparkling blue stealing his breath away again. He was certain he had never seen a prettier blue, or a prettier girl for that matter. "It's wonderful to meet you, Andy," he said when she shook his offered hand. He made sure to hold the physical contact when he spoke again. "Is this your first time in Langley? I would be more than happy to show you around some time."

The grin that lit up her face made it easy to ignore the amused, yet quiet chuckle from Terri and the death glare he was now receiving from Stiles.

"That would be—" Andy started.

"She's been here before, Lex," Stiles snapped as he drew his sister in closer to his side, forcing her hand from Lex's. "She doesn't need a tour of the city."

"I think that's for your sister, who none of us knew about, to decide," Terri chimed in. "Were you ever going to tell us you had any siblings?"

Stiles' mouth opened and closed a few times while he tried to come up with a response. "Uh… well... I've mentioned her to Lex before." He was beyond relieved when Joshua exited his office, interrupting any response Terri may have had.

"There she is!" Joshua said cheerily.

"Joshua!" Andy exclaimed as she pulled away from her brother and hurried over to hug the other man.

"It's so good to see you again, Andy!" Joshua said as their embrace ended. "Even better to be working with you in person!"

"Yeah, it's a welcome change to be back."

Joshua grinned at her a moment before he turned his attention to the other three. "I hate to break up the reunion, but Andy and I have some things to discuss."

Without waiting for a response from them he turned and led Andy into his office, closing the door and leaving the other three staring ahead.

"So," Lex said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. "Your sister single?"

Stiles rounded on the man with anger flashing in his eyes. "She's off limits, Lex!"

"I don't know. I think she was feeling me."

"_ No, _Lex!"

"Once again," Terri interjected. "I believe that is Andy's choice, not yours."

"Terri—" Stiles started, but was cut off when the phone rang next to Lex's computer.

Lex turned to answer and held the receiver to his ear. "OTS," he said, and was silent as the person on the other end of the line spoke. "Yes, sir, we'll be right up." He hung up the phone and turned back to the other two. "That was Gage. Says he's got something for us."

* * *

Gage stood at the head of the long table in the conference room, sifting through papers on the surface. Stiles, Terri, and Lex sat around the table waiting for him to begin their meeting. It wasn't until Andy and Joshua entered the room that the director finally looked up and smiled.

"Now that we are all here," he said as Andy and Joshua took a seat on either side of Lex, "I need the four of you to gather some intel on Tina Livingston." He picked up a small remote and clicked a button. The picture of a woman with bright red hair and green eyes in a pristine dark gray pants suit appeared on the small screen behind him. "There are rumors that she and her two assistants, Jennifer Small and Conor Davis, are embezzling money from the state of Rhode Island to fund terrorist radical groups."

"Which ones?" Stiles asked.

"We aren't entirely sure," Gage responded. "There is money going out to some sketchy sources and money missing as well. It's your job to find out where it's going and if they are behind it."

"Isn't this…" Lex started hesitantly. "I don't know… _ tame _ from what we normally do? With all due respect, isn't embezzlement usually a job for the FBI?"

"Normally, yes," Gage admitted. "But Tara is a friend, and I would like people on this I trust and know will do their job to the best of their ability."

"How exactly do you want us to go about this, sir?" Terri asked. "She's the governor. Her home and office already have a ton of surveillance."

"I think Lex should be able to figure out how to hack into their systems unnoticed," Gage said confidently. "You will have to place a few audio bugs. I'll procure the blueprints of her home and office so you can decide where to place them. Joshua will provide all the identification paperwork you will need. Any other questions?"

Lex shared an uneasy glance with Terri and Stiles; he knew they felt as unsure as he did about this mission. The lack of concrete information alone was enough to raise flags for all three of them. He chanced a look at Joshua and Andy, who both seemed to accept what was going on without hesitation. He couldn't help the little voice in the back of his head telling him that they knew a lot more than they were letting on.

"Good," Gage continued, pulling attention back to him as he gathered the papers on the table. "Andy will take the lead on this one. Might as well get her broken in from the start."

"Yes, sir," Andy said.

"Your plane leaves at seven in the morning," Gage informed them all. "I suggest you finish up what you need to here as early as possible and get some rest."

* * *

_ Lebanon, Kansas _

  
Dean Winchester sat at the table inside the bunker's kitchen pouring over news articles on his laptop while eating a large submarine sandwich. His brow furrowed in frustration as he finished a police report of a break-in that ended bloody for the victims. There was a lot of bad still going on in the world, however none of it was the kind of bad he was looking for. The hunter looked up from his task as his brother entered the room and crossed to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water.

"Where've you been?" Dean asked as Sam joined him across the table.

"Supply run with Cas," he responded. "Traffic was ridiculous. You find anything?"

"Nada," Dean said, shutting his computer. "But you'll never guess who called me last night."

Sam raised an interested brow as he took a sip of his water. "Who?"

"Andy Stiles."

"Really?! Is she back in the States?"

"Yup. Gage pulled her into CIA headquarters. They think some monsters are trying to weasel their way up the food chain."

"Do they need our help?" Sam asked.

"Andy said she's good for now, but the people she's working with aren't like her team. They have no idea about the things that go bump in the night and they would like to keep it that way."

"That sounds like it's going to end well," Sam said sarcastically.

"That's why I told her to call if she needs us," Dean said and picked up the outdated cell phone next to his laptop. "Also pulled this thing back out."

"Is that the phone Gage gave us?"

"Yup."

Both brothers stared at the phone as it started to ring in Dean's hand. Hesitantly the elder Winchester flipped the device open and answered by putting it on speaker phone. "Hello?"

"Hello gentlemen," director Gage said from the other end of the line. "It's been a while."

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "Not that we aren't thrilled to hear from you, but if you are calling on this phone instead of Andy on our regular ones, it can't be good. Is she alright?"

"Yes, it's nothing like that," Gage assured them. "I just need you boys to be on standby. She's leaving for Rhode Island tomorrow and we aren't exactly sure what she's walking into."

"What _ do _ you know?" Sam asked.

"Pretty sure we have a shapeshifter. The governor and her assistants have recently started acting out of character and a maid found a strange gooey, skin-like substance at the governor's home. By the time she got someone it was gone. All three also seem to be pretty adamant about not looking directly at any known cameras."

"Yeah, that sounds like shifters," Dean agreed. "Do you know if it's just the three?"

"We're hopeful, but we can't be sure. Hence why I want you two close. The team she is working with doesn't know the real reason why they are going. They think they are looking for money being floated to terrorist radical groups."

"We'll head out as soon as we can get everything together," Sam said.

"Thank you both," Gage said. "I'll send you the info on where they will be."

* * *

_ Langley, Virginia _

"That should do it," Lex declared from inside of Joshua's office as he shut the lid to the container holding his computer and electrical equipment.

"And here are your IDs, boarding passes, and other documents you may need," Joshua said as he handed Lex a stack of four envelopes with corresponding names written on them. He stood from his desk chair when Terri entered. "Are all the listening devices and cameras ready?"

"Just finished," she confirmed.

"Then I do believe we are done," Joshua said with a smile.

"Finally!" Lex exclaimed. "My bed is calling my name. Four a.m. is gonna come really early."

"Yeah," Terri agreed. "Mine too."

"We could go home," Joshua said with a contemplative expression as he tapped his chin with his index finger. "Or… we could go grab a drink." A mischievous smirk crossed his lips. "I think Lex would really enjoy it."

Lex raised his brow in suspicion. "Why do you say that?"

"Oh, I may have it on good authority that a certain blue-eyed beauty is hanging out with her brother tonight at a bar in town."

"Really?!" Lex said, a grin growing on his face.

Terri rolled her eyes and turned to exit the room. "Count me out, I'm going home to sleep."

"Come on, Terri!" Lex begged as he crossed the office and gently grasped her arm. "I really want to get to know her, and that's going to be hard to do with guard dog Stiles on the prowl!" He gave her his best innocent, pleading smile. "Please, Terri?"

"She probably knows some good ones on Stiles," Joshua offered.

Terri huffed as she turned enough to look between the two of them. "Fine!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in defeat. "I'll give you two hours!"

* * *

Stiles paused in what he had been saying to take a drink of the beer in his hand. "And we've been together ever since," he said as he set the bottle on the high rise table in front of him.

"I think I'm going to like Terri," Andy mused as she went over the story of how her brother had met the woman and how their relationship slowly progressed.

After their meeting with Gage and going over a few details in preparation for their mission the next day, Andy and Stiles had decided to head to a local sports bar to catch up with each other.

"Mom and Dad know you’re back yet?" Stiles asked.

Andy cringed a little at his question. "Not exactly."

"Andy!"

"This whole thing happened kind of fast!" she said defensively. "Hell, three days ago I was in the Amazon rainforest!"

"Why were you _ there _?"

"Taking care of a pest problem."

"Well that's vague."

Andy simply shrugged, knowing that her brother knew better than to push the subject much more than that. From the time they had both joined their respective branches of the military, they had an unspoken understanding that there were just some things about their lives they couldn't tell one another. Regardless, she knew one of them needed to change the subject.

"So," she started after taking a sip of her own beer. "What's Lex's deal?"

Stiles' posture instantly stiffened. "Meaning?"

"Is he single?"

"Why?!" he asked a little too sharply.

"Because he's cute and obviously a little ballsy, considering he pretty much asked me out right in front of you _ and _ questioned Gage."

"I don't like this."

"You don't like me dating anyone."

"It doesn't matter," Stiles said with an air of overprotectiveness. "I told him you were off limits."

"What the fuck, Aiden?!" Andy snapped. "You had no right to do that!"

"Yes I do! You're my sister!"

"I'm a grown woman!"

"So?!"

"Why don't you like him?! What's wrong with him?!"

Stiles huffed in frustration as he took a drink from his bottle. "I _ never _ said I didn't like him. There isn't anything wrong with him. He's a great guy and one of my best friends."

"Then what's your issue?"

Stiles growled as he scrubbed a hand down his face. "Can we not fight? This is the first time we've been together in five years."

"Fine, but we aren't done with this subject."

"Believe me, I know," he huffed as he glanced at his wrist watch. "We should actually call it a night. We have to be at the airport super freaking early in the morning."

Andy started to agree, but as she looked up she saw three familiar faces walk in the front door and she smiled. Terri and Lex were listening intently to whatever Joshua was talking about, smiling and laughing as he led them into the bar.

"But your friends just got here," she said instead as she raised her hand in the air to wave them over.

Stiles turned around and his face fell when he saw the trio. "Dammit, Joshua,” he mumbled.

Lex was the first to see Andy and his face lit up at her obvious invitation. He quickly made his way over to her and pulled up a chair to sit next to her with the other two following his lead.

"Hey guys," Lex greeted, keeping his focus on Andy with a charming grin on his lips. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Funny how things work out ain't it?" Andy said, returning his smile and focus.

"Yeah, it's just _ so _ serendipitous," Stiles said sarcastically as he directed a glare at Joshua. "What brings you guys to this _ specific _bar?"

"You know I love this place," Terri said, ignoring when Stiles looked at her like she had betrayed him. "Joshua suggested grabbing a drink to blow off some steam, I thought of this place, and we dragged Lex along."

"I thought Lex and Terri should have some time to relax a bit," Joshua said, seamlessly agreeing with her.

"Yeah, they had to twist my arm," Lex added, his eyes still locked with Andy's. "But, I'm glad I came."

Stiles' mouth had dropped open as he looked back and forth between the three, his blood pressure spiking a fraction when he saw the way Lex and his sister were looking at each other. He knew they were all lying. Joshua had been there when he had asked Andy about going to the bar in the first place. He also knew the trio would stand by their story to the bitter end.

"So what's everyone drinking?" Andy asked as she slid off of her bar stool. "I'll get this round."

"Just a beer," Terri said.

"Same," Joshua agreed.

"I'll help you get all of it to the table," Lex offered.

Stiles started to stand, but Terri quickly grabbed his hand and shot him a look that clearly said _ "Butt out!” _ He grumbled as he sat back down and watched his sister walk away with Lex toward the bar.

After giving the bartender their order, Andy smiled curiously at Lex as he leaned against the counter with his arm resting across its surface. "You gonna tell me why you all are _ really _ here?" 

He blinked at her a few times, but quickly took on an innocent expression. "We told you—"

Andy laughed light-heartedly. "Don't give me that innocent look. I see right through it."

Lex couldn't stop the grin that split his features. "Joshua mentioned you and Stiles were here and I wanted a chance to get to know you."

"Hmm," she hummed as she moved to lean against the counter as well, facing him. "Even if my brother told you I was _ off limits _?"

"Doesn't bother me if it doesn't bother you," Lex said with a shrug.

She chuckled softly and moved a little closer to him. "Good answer." She paused, taking a moment to admire his deep amber eyes focusing on her like she was the only other person in the bar. "I'm glad you showed up. I wanted a chance to get to know you, too."

Lex took a step toward her and he felt butterflies in his stomach when her hand moved to rest on his forearm. "Well, in that case, in the interest of getting to know one another: What would you say to goin—"

He was cut off when a pair of arms reached between them to pick up three of the five beer bottles that had been placed on the counter without either of them noticing, the act forcing them to take a step back from one another.

"Thought you guys got lost," Stiles said as he pulled the bottles away. 

Andy glowered at her brother like she could have shot him. "Really, Aiden?!"

"What?!" Stiles asked nonchalantly. "I'm just helping. Let's get back to the table."

He leveled a stare at them until they both huffed and took their own drinks in their hands before he turned and led the way back to where Joshua and Terri sat. As they walked, Andy’s breath caught when Lex moved closer to her, his hand going to the small of her back and his face leaning in next to hers.

"You wanna ditch the guard dog?" he whispered.

A mischievous grin crossed her lips and she nodded her approval of his plan. Lex didn't waste any time in moving his hand from her back to lace his fingers with hers and pull her through the crowd to the back entrance of the bar, leaving the bottles on a random table as they went by. They burst through the door into the warm July night laughing.

"How long do you think we got til we're busted?" Lex asked, not making any motion to remove his hand from hers as he started to lead her to the front parking lot.

His question was answered by Andy's phone ringing in her pocket. "About five seconds," she said, still laughing as she accepted the call and held the phone to her ear. "Hello, dear brother."

"Don't dear brother me!" Stiles snapped through the phone loud enough for Lex to hear. "You ditched me! Real mature, Andy! Where are—"

His words abruptly cut off and she heard shuffling on the other end of the line for a few seconds before Terri's voice filled her ear. "You two have fun. We'll see you in the morning."

When the phone disconnected, Andy continued to laugh as she put the device back in her pocket. "I think Terri and I are going to be great friends!"

"Yeah, she's great," Lex agreed as they rounded the corner of the building and were greeted by rows of cars.

"Which one is yours?" Andy asked. "I rode here with Aiden."

"I, uh, actually dropped my car off at my apartment and got a ride with Joshua."

"Wow, we suck at this sneaking out thing."

"It's not a problem," Lex said, guiding her across the parking lot to the sidewalk. "My apartment is only like a fifteen minute walk from here. We can just go get my car and I'll take you home later. Or we can take my motorcycle, whichever you prefer."

"_ You _drive a motorcycle?" Andy asked as they stepped onto the sidewalk and turned left.

"I do."

"That's kinda sexy." She grinned at the slight blush that rose in his cheeks. "So where do you live anyway?"

"The Point Apartments. It's really not far from here."

Andy's eyes widened at his answer. "No way! That's where I live!"

"Well, in that case," Lex said, mulling over a few options in his head, "Why don't we just forego any vehicle and I take you to the coffee shop that’s right next door to the apartment building? The guy that owns it is a _ master _ at tea blends and one of my closest friends."

"That sounds like a great idea!"

* * *

Stiles growled as he took his phone from Terri and slammed the device a little too hard on the surface of the table. Everyone at the table with him regarded the man with a raised brow at his reaction to his sister and Lex sneaking off.

"Seriously!" Terri exclaimed. "What's your problem?! You'd think you would be happy it's Lex that has taken an interest in your sister and not some asshole that's just gonna use her!'

"I have to agree with Terri," Joshua said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Lex is a damn good man!"

"I know that!" Stiles snapped.

"Then why do you have such a problem with him pursuing her when the advances are _ clearly _ welcome?!" Terri demanded.

Stiles sighed in frustration as he ran a hand down his face. "Lex isn't my problem."

"Then what is?" Joshua asked, both he and Terri now thoroughly confused.

* * *

The fifteen minute walk to the coffee shop had dragged out to closer to thirty with both Andy and Lex subconsciously slowing their steps in order to lengthen their time together. They stopped here and there to admire the displays in some of the darkened shops that had been shut down for the day, Lex taking special note of the flowers her gaze lingered upon in the florist's window. Neither had specifically mentioned it, but they could both feel how comfortable they already were with one another. The conversation flowed easily, each eager to learn as much as possible about each other, and there was no denying how perfectly their still intertwined hands seemed to fit together.

As they walked into the coffee shop they were greeted by the cheery face of the barista behind the counter who had been stocking supplies in their appropriate places. The tall, skinny man with shaggy blonde hair seemed to light up when Lex walked in, his hunter green eyes sparkling even more when he saw Andy beside him.

"Lex! How ya doin’ buddy?"

"Hey Seth," Lex greeted, smiling at the man. "I'm good. How've you been?"

"Good, good." Seth's eyes landed on Andy again. "Who's your new girlfriend?" He grinned even wider at the scarlet blushes that overtook their faces.

"This is my friend, Andy," Lex informed him.

"Friend, huh?" Seth said as he noted their interlocked fingers. "So, what can I get for you and your _ friend _ tonight?"

"Figured I'd trust your expertise on that," Lex said as he and Andy walked closer to the counter.

"Hmm." Seth made a show of contemplating his request, tapping his index finger to his chin as his eyes wandered over the different ingredients he had to work with. "I gotchu," he finally said and went to work brewing a special blend of tea for them. "Hey, Lex?" Seth looked up with apologetic eyes.

"Yeah?"

"I hate to ask man, but my computer in the back locked up on me…"

"I'll take care of it," Lex said with a good-natured laugh. He turned to Andy. "I'll be right back."

When she nodded, he reluctantly let go of her hand and went around the counter to disappear through a doorway.

"So," Seth said, pulling Andy's attention back to him. "When did you guys meet?"

"Today, actually."

Seth nodded as he continued to make their drinks. "You guys hit it off pretty quickly then, huh?"

"Yeah, we did," she said slowly, suddenly feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

He moved further down the counter and his eyes flicked up to her. "I know this is going to sound really unprofessional, but… could you hand me that tea infuser in front of you on the counter?"

"Uh, sure," she replied, her brow furrowing in confusion at his request. Her eyes located the tiny mesh ball attached to a chain, and she instantly saw that it was made of silver. Her instincts told her that it wasn't a random choice. She could feel his eyes on her as she moved to pick it up. His face lit back up into a friendly smile as she handed it to him.

"Thanks!" he said brightly, and then shifted his focus back to his task.

She regarded him with speculation for a moment before she spoke again. He looked up at her after a beat, his smile falling when he saw the look in her eyes.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Just wondering if you're going to splash holy water on me next or just simply say ‘Christo.’"

He chuckled as his face split back into a smile. "Knew ya weren't a demon. The metal in the door and window frames is salt tempered iron. It requires a little extra upkeep, but it's worth it. There's also a devil's trap sewn on the underside of the rug at the door."

"Smart," Andy complemented. "So do you test all your customers with silver too?"

"No," he said with another chuckle as he continued his task. "Lex is a friend. A good one. Just wanted to make sure the girl he's obviously smitten with and quite possibly taking back to his place tonight didn't want to eat parts of him, and I don't mean in a fun way."

"So are you a hunter?"

"Me?! Nah," Seth said as he sat two mugs of steaming tea in front of her. "My boyfriend is, though. Had a poltergeist take up residence in my shop years ago. He got rid of it, helped me ward the place, and we've been together ever since. He's currently on his way home from hunting a wendigo." He leaned over to rest his elbows on the surface between them. "What about you? You a hunter?"

"You could call me that. Does Lex know about you and your boyfriend?"

"Oh God, no! Love Lex to death, but I'm not sure how well he would do with _ that _ information. He thinks Justin is a pharmaceutical sales rep." He paused to take a paper hot cup sleeve and a pen from a plastic holder beside him. He scribbled a phone number on it and held it towards her. "I may not be an actual hunter, but I can hold my own in a fight and I can research like a boss. If you ever need any help with anything, give me a call."

She smiled and accepted the number. After placing the sleeve in her pocket she repeated his actions and handed him her own number. "Likewise."

"Problem solved!" Lex announced as he walked back into the room and took his place next to Andy. "You really need to update your software, man. You're gonna keep having these issues if you don't."

"Yeah, I know. I'm working on it," Seth agreed, and then reached for the two mugs in front of him and handed one each to Lex and Andy. "Here ya go guys. Dark chocolate black tea with hints of rose hips and strawberry with just a dash of vanilla cream. The perfect blend for a couple of _ friends _ just hanging out," he said with a wink in Lex's direction.

Lex chuckled softly as he reached for his wallet. "How much do I owe you, Seth?"

"On the house," Seth told him. "Your girl is fun to talk to."

"Thanks," Lex said, taking a ten dollar bill out of his wallet and placing it in the tip jar on the counter. "Shall we?" he asked, turning to Andy and indicating the dark blue loveseat in the back corner of the shop.

They sat on the sofa until their mugs had long since run dry, too enthralled with each other to notice the amount of time that had ticked by, their bodies moving closer together, inch by inch, until her legs were draped across his. One of his arms had found its way around her waist and the other was across her thighs with his fingers laced with hers again. They had talked about everything from their favorite movies and foods to their families and friends. She was laughing as she finished up a story about one of her cousins when she caught the way Lex was looking at her. The intensity in his golden eyes had her breath stilling in her throat as he reached up to brush a stray lock of her hair behind her ear, his hand settling just below it. His eyes flitted down to her lips for a moment and it suddenly felt like magnets were drawing her towards him. His eyes fluttered closed and she suddenly hated the logical part of her brain, for it chose that exact moment to remind her of what the extremely early morning would bring.

"Do you always kiss on the first date?" she whispered.

His eyes quickly popped open and he blinked at her in shock a few times with a worried look claiming his features as his hand dropped back to her thighs. Her question had clearly taken him completely by surprise. "Uh…" he stammered, waiting for his brain to process her question. "Um… I mean… if the mood is… wait… this was a date?"

She sighed and intertwined her fingers with his again. "I'll be honest with you, Lex. If I kiss you now, I have a feeling you aren't going to just be dropping me off at my door tonight, and it's,"—she turned their hands so she could glance at his wrist watch—"already almost midnight and we both have to be up super early. Call me greedy, but with you, I really don't want to rush the first time."

A relieved grin crossed Lex's lips as he gently squeezed her hand. "I understand that, babe, and I completely agree."

"Really? You're not upset?"

"Of course not!"

Her face lit up and she placed a quick kiss on his cheek. 

"You didn't answer my question, though,” he reminded her.

"What question?"

"Was this a date?"

"Well _ obviously _," Seth answered as he walked up to collect their mugs. He flashed them a bright smile before he turned to walk away. "Locking the doors in five you two!" he called over his shoulder.

Lex watched him for a moment with a smirk on his face as his friend retreated before he turned back to Andy. "Well, then can I take you out for our second date once we get back from Rhode Island?"

"I would love that."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for chapter: violence, blood, heavy petting

_ Arlington, Virginia _

Terri could feel Lex trying to control the nervous bounce of his knee in the seat next to her as he neurotically clicked the refresh button on his computer screen that was set to the most current flight information for their incoming plane. Most of the seats at their gate were already filled with waiting travelers and he glanced up in between page refreshings to commit each face to memory. She knew her friend detested flying, and no matter how many flights they had been on through the years, he always became increasingly anxious as they waited, and it only got worse once he was buckled in his seat and waiting for take off.

"So, how did it go last night with Andy?" she asked in an attempt to distract him. She smiled when she saw the huge grin that came to his lips as he brought his attention to her.

"It went really well. We're going out again when we get back."

"How well is  _ really well _ ?" she asked encouragingly. "You two looked pretty cozy getting out of that cab this morning."

"We didn't even kiss, Terri," he said with a chuckle.

"Yet you still have a huge grin on your face at the mere mention of her."

"We spent the night talking until close to midnight, then I walked her to her apartment. Which is conveniently in the same building as mine."

"Yeah, Stiles mentioned that," she said, cringing slightly as she remembered the tirade he went on after Lex and Andy disappeared. "I'm glad you two had a nice night."

"We really did. I know it's really soon, and we haven't even known each other a full twenty-four hours yet, but I really like her—a lot. After last night, I feel like I've known her my whole life."

"Do you think she feels the same?"

Lex's smile widened as he recalled being so close to her on the love seat in the coffee shop. "Yeah, I do."

"Then who cares if it's soon! I personally think you guys are cute together and Joshua thinks you are perfect for each other. Hence why he made sure to book your and Andy's seats as far away from mine and Stiles' as possible."

"Yeah," Lex said with a soft chuckle. "Remind me to thank him for that. Stiles wasn't too bad after we left was he?"

"It wasn't that bad. He's just overprotective."

"His sister's a grown woman and Stiles knows me well enough to know I would never do anything to disrespect or hurt his sister."

Terri pursed her lips as she debated on her response. "I don’t think his problem is quite the same one you’re thinking of, Lex."

He quirked a curious eyebrow at his friend. "What do you mean?"

* * *

Lex and Andy settled into their assigned seats inside the cabin of the plane. She watched as he methodically shut his window, made sure his tray table was locked, buckled his seatbelt, and opened his laptop. Immediately he was back on the flight information page he had been on while they waited at the gate. She frowned slightly as she saw him start to bounce his knee nervously. He tried to control it, but it only led to his computer trembling in his lap. Terri had mentioned to her when they had first arrived at the airport that Lex didn't like flying, but she had no clue that it was this bad. The look on his face held every sign of him throwing up the breakfast sandwich she and Stiles had brought to him and Terri after they had located their gate, and she had a suspicion that the screen in front of him was the only thing keeping the man from completely losing it.

"Sir."

The flight attendant’s voice took them both by surprise and they quickly whipped their heads toward her.

"You will need to store your computer in the overhead bin until we reach altitude," she spoke sweetly as she held out her hand for Lex's computer.

"Uh," Lex started hesitantly, looking back and forth between her and his screen. "Sure," he sighed and shut the device. He reluctantly handed it to her and watched as she placed the item in the cubby above their heads. His hands took a death grip on the armrests as the woman smiled at them both and walked away.

"You  _ really  _ don't like flying, do you?" Andy asked.

"Is it that obvious?" he replied with a dry laugh.

The plane jostled, indicating the beginning of their trip. Lex's eyes squeezed shut and his white knuckled hold on the armrests tightened to the point of almost causing him pain. When he felt Andy link their arms together and slide her hand down to entwine their fingers, his eyes snapped open and he instantly focused on her.

"Did Aiden ever tell you about the time he learned to  _ always  _ believe me when I tell him a chick is psycho?" she asked. Not giving him time to answer she said, "Well… he probably wouldn't of, it's not one of his proudest moments. So! I'll tell you! I was seventeen, Aiden had just turned eighteen. It was right before he went off to recruit training. Mom wanted to have one more family vacation before he left. So, here we are on this beach in California, right? And, of course, my brother immediately spots this leggy lifeguard with a chest that put the Baywatch girls to shame."

The plane started to pick up speed down the runway, and Andy placed her free hand on his forearm, rubbing back and forth comfortingly.

"Well," she continued. "I could tell from the second I met this girl that she was batshit crazy. It's something in the eyes, ya know, all women can see it  _ long _ before their poor unsuspecting victim ever even has a notion it's there. I try to warn him and he's all  _ I know what I'm doing Andy _ !" Lex laughed at her exaggerated impersonation of her brother. "He asks her out, she says yes. He had already gotten his sign-on bonus and the idiot kept a chunk of it on him in cash. He then takes her to this super expensive restaurant, even by Cali standards." 

The nose of the plane lifted off the ground and Lex's hand tensed in hers. She pressed herself closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder, still continuing her soothing motions on his arm and never faltering in her story.

"The date went really well and she ended up taking him back to her apartment. Or, what he thought was her apartment. Personally, I think he was too drunk by this point to know where the fuck he was. The next morning I get woken up by the phone in our hotel room. I answer and it's him absolutely freaking the hell out, telling me I had to come get him and that I needed to bring him clothes."

She could feel the pressure in the cabin start to change as they began their accent and the hand she had on his arm slipped down to cover their interlocked ones.

"The only info he could give me was the name of the cheap ass roach motel that he saw on a nightstand near the bed. I told him to go outside and look around and he just mumbled that he couldn't. It took me two hours to find this skeezy place, and when I did, oh my God! I walked into this room to find him handcuffed to the freakin bed in just his boxers! This crazy bitch had roofied him and taken him to this motel—not her apartment—and at some point she got him down to his underwear, handcuffed him, and stole everything he had on him. We spent the rest of the day between the hospital and police station. He made me  _ swear _ to never tell another soul, but I may have a picture tucked away somewhere for safekeeping."

When he started to laugh, she raised her head to look at him.

"Did that really happen?!" Lex asked.

"Oh, it happened alright. Just don't  _ ever _ tell him I told you. He will kill me!"

"So why did you tell me then?"

"You needed a distraction," she said simply and rested her head back on his shoulder.

He smiled as he suddenly realized he  _ was _ more relaxed than he usually was on a flight. He placed a kiss on the top of her head and leaned his cheek against where his lips had been. "Thank you."

* * *

_ Providence, Rhode Island _

  
Upon landing at the T.F. Green International Airport, Terri and Andy acquired two rental cars while Stiles and Lex collected their suitcases from baggage claim. From there they quickly drove the six miles to the state capital and located the small house Gage had chosen as their base of operations. Their supplies and electronics were waiting for them in the living room and they set to work the moment they crossed the threshold. Terri put the finishing touches on the identification cards they would need to get into the governor's office, Stiles and Andy programed and synched the listening devices and cameras, and Lex assembled his triple screen computer set-up.

Seconds after he had power to his electronics, Lex was behind his keyboard typing away. Andy walked over, pulling up a metal folding chair beside him as she handed him a box of listening devices that were ready to be connected to his system. She glanced at his screen as she sat down, seeing multiple windows open, some of which showed long lines of scrolling binary code.

"What are you doing?" she asked, watching how fast his fingers moved over the keyboard while his eyes never left the screen.

"Hacking into the surveillance in Livingston's office," he explained.

"You're doing that now?" she questioned. "That's a highly encrypted program. It could take hours to—"

She cut her own self off with her mouth hanging slightly open as the screen to her right lit up with four separate live feeds: the governor's office, lobby, receptionist desk, and the front entrance. 

"Wow," Andy said turning her attention back to Lex, who gazed at her with a smug smirk sitting on his lips. "You  _ are _ good."

"In more ways than one," he said, winking at her.

Stiles clearing his throat from behind them ended their conversation, and they both turned around to a glare as he shoved a tray of tiny cameras in Lex's direction.

"This guy is insane!" Terri's bewildered voice cut through the awkwardness that Stiles had started to build and the three looked in the other woman's direction. "Listen to this!" she said as she reached for the TV remote to turn the volume up on the local news that had been playing as background noise for them.

"Walker Lowe was taken into custody this morning around five a.m.," the female reporter said. "Police found him unconscious approximately ten feet from the back door of this jewelry store. Lowe has worked for the store for fifteen years and had every key that the owner possessed. After having him checked out at the emergency room, police brought him in for questioning where he denied stealing the jewels. He claims that he was jumped and knocked out as he left the store by a man that looked and dressed exactly like him, and only awoke as he was being arrested by police. As you can see from this surveillance video, there isn't much doubt that these are either the ramblings of a man desperate for the insanity plea, or someone that seriously needs medical attention." 

The screen cut to a black and white video of Walker Lowe shoving necklaces and rings into his pockets. Andy felt her stomach drop when the man turned and faced the camera, his eyes giving a flare that she knew all too well.

Shapeshifter.

She sighed internally. It appeared she and Gage had been right about the monsters being in this town. But, if they had taken over Livingston and her assistants, why rob the jewelry store and leave behind a witness? It seemed…  _ sloppy. _

"Wow," Stiles commented as the segment ended. "That guy needs some help if he thinks that bogus story is gonna fly."

"Points for creativity, though." Lex said.

"At least we don't have to deal with  _ that _ !" Terri stated as she turned the volume down.

Andy mulled the story over and over again in her mind as the other three talked and continued what they had been working on. Her phone buzzing in her pocket broke her concentration and she quickly pulled it out of her pocket to find a text message from the contact name “D.W.”

_ In Providence. We need to talk. ASAP! _

* * *

Andy let out a breath as she knocked on the motel room door in front of her. She heard movement on the other side and the muffled, but familiar sound of a gun being cocked.

"It's me, Dean!" she called, clearly annoyed. "Let me in! I don't have much time!"

The door quickly swung open and she was greeted with the smiling face of Dean Winchester who, after placing his gun back in the waistband of his jeans, wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Andy! It's so good to see you!" he exclaimed, his hold lingering.

"You too, Dean," she said as she curtly pulled away from his embrace. He stepped aside to allow her into the room. "Where's Sam?" she asked when she realized the younger Winchester was absent.

"The sheriff called and said he needed to see us," Dean explained, shutting the door.

"I take it agents May and Taylor have already been to the jewelry store?"

Dean chuckled as he made his way to sit at the small table in the corner of the room. "We talked to Lowe, too. I'm Taylor, by the way. Have you seen the footage they’re blasting over the news?"

"Yeah, definitely a shifter," Andy said, joining him on the opposite side of the table.

"Sam and I think they may be connected to the ones you think are posing as Livingston and her assistants."

"I don't see how they can't be. I just don't know what that connection is. But the jewelry store seems…"

"Intentionally sloppy?"

"Exactly. Shifters usually don't leave the person they are copying breathing if they are using that person for a reason, and he looked directly at the camera like he knew it was there."

"Almost like he wanted someone to know what he was," Dean said as he leaned back in his chair.

"But why?"

"Distraction maybe? How reliable are the CIA stooges you brought with you?"

Andy narrowed her eyes dangerously at the man across from her. "Watch it Winchester!" she warned.

"My bad!" Dean said, holding up his hands apologetically. "I didn't mean it the way it sounded. I just want to know you're with trustworthy people."

"One of them is my brother, Dean!"

"That you haven't seen in five years, and I don't know jack about the other two!"

"Just stop, Dean! I trust them.  _ All of them _ ! That's all you need to know."

"Fine!" Dean exclaimed, standing and crossing to the mini fridge on the other side of the room. He took out a beer bottle, twisting the cap off as he turned around. "So, we have one shifter robbing jewelry stores and three running the state that may or may not be connected to each other. Any bright ideas?"

"Lex has already—”

"Lex?! Like the Superman villain?"

"He's a hacker for the CIA," she told him, ignoring his comment. "He’s one of the three that are here with me. Anyway, he already got into the surveillance system at the governor's office. Aiden and I are going tonight to install the bugs. We still have to get something in Livingston's home." 

The sound of the doorknob turning caught their attention and they both turned to see Sam coming into the room looking ragged. The tie that he wore with his normal faux FBI attire was loosened around his neck, his suit jacket was slung over his arm, and his hair was slightly dishevelled.

"What the hell happened to you?" Dean asked.

Ignoring his brother's question, Sam's eyes fell on Andy and a smile came over his tired face as he crossed over to her. She jumped up from her seat and into his embrace. 

"So good to see you, Andy," Sam told her and pulled out of their hug. "I just wish it was under better circumstances."

"Me too, Sam." 

Dean cleared his throat and the pair turned back to him. "You gonna tell us why you look so rough?"

"Walker Lowe is dead," Sam said gravely.

"What?!" Dean and Andy exclaimed together.

"Apparent suicide. They found him in the holding cell with his wrists cut open," Sam explained as he slumped into the chair Andy had been sitting in.

"Why the hell didn't someone stop him?!" Andy demanded. "There are cameras in all those cells that people are supposed to be watching!"

"There was a sudden power outage and when the lights came back on he was already dead. Livingston has instructed the sheriff to  _ not _ alert the media," Sam said. "They have no idea where he got the knife he used, and that's not even all of it."

"What else is there?" Dean asked.

"About two weeks ago a woman that worked for the local check cashing store robbed the place blind. They found her strung up in her living room. Called it another supposed suicide. But the coroner's report puts the woman's death three hours before the robbery happened."

"How the hell did we not hear about that?!" Dean demanded.

"Livingston kept it out of the media because the woman was an old friend."

"Well, isn't that a coincidence," Andy said sarcastically. "We have to get close to that woman, other than tapping into security videos and planting listening devices in her office."

"You're already in her security feed?" Sam asked.

"The whole system actually," Andy told him.

"Nice."

Dean rolled his eyes as he took a seat on one of the beds. "She has a hacker from the CIA in her pocket," he snarked.

"CIA or not, that system was crazy encrypted," Sam said, obviously impressed. "I've been trying to get in since we got here last night and keep getting locked out. He must be damn good."

"He is," Andy said proudly with a smile on her face.

Dean rolled his eyes again at Andy's apparent affection for the man. "A fat lot of good it's going to do us. Gage said they know where the cameras are in that office and she and her assistants are really good about not looking directly into them. If she is behind this, then they aren't going to do anything when they know they have the possibility of being watched. Especially if she is going out of her way to cause a distraction."

"I might have a way for us to get up close and personal," Sam revealed, causing him to receive looks of interest from his brother and friend. "She's having a party at her house tonight. A bunch of political big shots are supposed to be there."

"Looks like we're crashing the party tonight, if we can get past security," Dean said, and turned his attention to Andy. "Think your  _ precious hacker _ can get us on the guest list?"

"Can probably get me on it," Andy said, scowling at the elder Winchester. "He doesn't know about you two. Remember?"

"You're not going in there alone!" Dean exclaimed. "God only knows how many shifters we actually have running around in this town!"

"Calm down, Dean!" Sam instructed, cutting in before Andy could speak. "I already asked the sheriff to get us in. Told him we wanted to help out with security while we were here. He jumped at the idea."

"There ya go," Andy said as she started to move towards the door. "Now, if you boys will excuse me, I have to go call Lex and have him put me on that guest list. Then, I have to go get a dress." 

"Let us know when you head out, Andy," Sam told her.

"You got it," she replied, and exited the room.

Andy took her cell phone from the pocket of her jeans as she crossed the parking lot and was just about to dial Lex when she heard Dean call her name. She turned around in time to see the man jogging up to her. 

"Yeah?" she said when he was standing in front of her.

"I was wondering if, after we deal with what's going on, if you wanted to go get a drink or something." A suggestive smile grew across the elder Winchester's lips. "Maybe have a repeat of the last time we saw each other?"

Andy crossed her arms over her chest as she narrowed a glare at the man in front of her. "I'm sorry, Dean, exactly which part of that night are you wanting to  _ have a repeat  _ of? The skeezy dive bar you took me to? The sloppy sex that we were both too drunk to even finish? Or the painfully awkward morning after where you wouldn't even look me in the eye and took off before you even had your shirt on all the way?"

"I… uh…" The smile fell from Dean's lips as he stuttered.

"I'd really rather not have a repeat of any of it," she continued. "Besides, I've met someone and I'd really like to try and  _ not _ screw this one up."

"You've met someone?!" Dean asked. "You haven't even been in the US two full days yet! How the hell have you met someone?!" He paused as realization dawned on him. "It's the hacker, isn't it?!"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes, it's Lex."

"Wow, Andy! Way to pounce on the first guy you see!"

"It isn't like that you asshole!"

Dean laughed loud and cynically. "So what is it, Andy? You think you can have a  _ normal _ relationship with this computer geek?! We don't get normal with what we do! All we have are mistakes and one night stands!"

"Just because you can't figure it out doesn't mean it isn't possible, Dean! I've met plenty of hunters who have significant others!"

"Yeah and those  _ significant others _ are usually hunters themselves or at least know about the life! How do you think Poindexter would do with even a fraction of the knowledge of what's really going on in the world?!"

"Stop insulting him! You don't even fucking know him!" Andy shouted.

"I'm just stating the facts!" Dean shot back.

"No, you're not! You're just being a dick because I wounded your pride!"

"No, I'm being a dick because somewhere between taking out a nest of djinn in the Amazon and flying to Virginia your grip on reality got seriously warped!"

"Fuck you, Dean!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Both Dean and Andy spun around at the sound of the younger Winchester's angry voice.

"Both of you need to chill!" Sam demanded. "We've got more important things to worry about right now!"

"Whatever, this bullshit isn't worth my time anyway," Dean grumbled and stalked off back to his room.

Sam's expression softened as he turned apologetic eyes to Andy. "I'm sorry about that. He had no right to say any of it."

"How much did you hear?"

"I walked out about the time he figured out who you had a thing for. Don't let Dean's jealousy get to you."

"I'm not," Andy told him confidently. "Listen, Sam, I really have to go if I'm going to get everything taken care of for tonight."

He nodded, letting her steer away from the subject. He walked over to give her a one-armed hug. "We'll see you later."

* * *

Andy sighed and shut off the engine of the rental car in the driveway of the house she, her brother, Lex, and Terri were using as their base of operations. She noticed the second rental car wasn't around and idly wondered which one of them had left and why, but was extremely grateful for the absence. After grabbing the garment bag holding the dress she had purchased for the night's mission, she dragged herself out of the car. Shopping for the attire had been much less fun than it should have been with her anger at the eldest Winchester still boiling rapidly in her chest. Who the hell was he to tell her what she was and wasn't capable of having?

What angered her even more was that he had made a valid point: There was no way she could ever tell Lex what her real mission was, nor could she tell her brother or Terri. She just had to sit back and watch them waste their time so she had a cover for what she and the Winchesters were doing, which just added another falsehood to the pile. Gage had instructed her to use the brothers' aliases if by some chance they had to cross paths with the CIA team, and by going into the party with them that was definitely going to happen.

There was no way her brother, Lex, and Terri were going to let her walk into that soirée without someway to keep tabs on her with either video, sound, or both. She had figured that much out when she called Lex to have him hack into the guest list. Neither he nor her brother were fond of the idea of her going in alone, which had finally prompted her to call Gage who had immediately contacted Stiles to tell him that he and Terri would  _ not _ deviate from the plan. They would be going into the governor's office tonight while Lex ran tech support. The director then dropped the bomb on all of them with orders for agents May and Taylor of the FBI joining Andy in her mission tonight. She wasn't thrilled with the interrogation she would have to suffer through because of her new  _ partners _ .

Andy entered the house, slamming the door harder than she realized, causing Lex to pop his head up over the computer screens he was sitting behind.

"Hey, babe, everything OK?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes," she replied dryly as she placed the garment bag over the armrest of the couch in the corner of the room. "Were you able to get into the guest list?"

He regarded her skeptically for a moment, but decided to let the deflection slide. "You know it," he told her as she sat down in the chair next to him. "It's under the alias Michelle Baker, reporter for the Providence Journal. Gage also sent the blueprints to Livingston's house and a markup of the grounds." He handed her a small stack of papers and an ID badge with her fake name on it.

"Thanks, Lex," she said, forcing a half smile.

"Are you sure you're OK?" he asked again. "You seem upset."

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said quickly, standing and crossing the room to pick up her dress. "Where are Terri and Aiden?"

"Went to get dinner before our double mission tonight." He pursed his lips, debating on whether or not to push the issue.

Andy nodded and turned to walk down the hallway and into one of the bedrooms of the small house. She placed the dress on the bed and then hauled her suitcase up next to it. Opening it up, she started digging through it. What she was looking for she had no idea, but she knew Lex had followed her and was now leaning against the door jam watching her with concerned eyes. She was used to keeping secrets and lying to cover her tracks. Yet, as she felt his golden eyes on her, all she wanted was to tell him everything. However, Dean's voice still rang infuriatingly loud in her head.

_ "How do you think Poindexter would do with even a fraction of the knowledge of what's really going on in the world?!" _

She growled as she thought internally of the insult that the elder Winchester had thrown in, and at the fact that he was probably right. Lex's world consisted of computers, codes, CIA missions, and enemies that were human. How  _ would _ he handle knowing that vampires, werewolves, demons—and even angels—were real, and that most of them harboured a deadly hate for mankind so strong they would do anything to watch the entire world burn to the ground?

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his hand on hers, attempting to pry the toiletry bag she didn't realize she had a death grip on from her fingers. She let him take it and toss it back into her suitcase as she turned to face him. 

His intense amber eyes held her in place with a caring gaze. "Please tell me what's wrong, Andy."

What the hell was she supposed to say to that? She couldn't tell him she was "fine" again. He  _ obviously _ knew that wasn't the case. The truth was out of the question. But… maybe she could tell him an altered version? It was worth a shot anyway. She released a heavy sigh before she started talking.

"I know the FBI agents Gage wants us to work with. We've worked together before a few times. That's why I took off earlier. Gage wanted me to meet with them before he told you guys about them." Well… that was  _ mostly _ the truth, barring a few details.

"And you don't get along with them?" Lex asked, trying to figure out where she was headed.

"No… I mean... normally we all get along just fine. It's just, one of them.” She paused, trying to remember which alias was Dean's. "Taylor, he and I don't always see eye to eye on things, and he has a habit of sticking his nose where it doesn't belong."

"So you two got into it?"

"Yeah."

"About the plan for tonight?"

"Not exactly."

Lex tilted his head to the side slightly in confusion. "Then what?"

Andy huffed in agitation as she crossed her arms over her chest and walked towards the center of the room, feeling Lex's eyes on her the entire time. "It goes deeper than just working together."  _ Watch it Andy. _ "We're friends. Have been for about six years now."

"So you were arguing over a personal matter?"

Andy groaned and paced the room. "Lex, as much as I hate it, there are some things about what I do and what I've done for the past six years that I'll never be able to tell you! People in my life you can't know! There are gonna be times like today that I just have to up and take off without a word and it could be days or even weeks before I resurface. That's just the way it has to be. It's for your own safety."

He blinked at her a few times, watching her move about and trying to figure out the abrupt switch in topic. "Wait… How did we get here… Oh!" It finally hit him. "You were fighting about me?"

She halted her movements and turned to nod at him sheepishly. "His exact words were 'All we have are mistakes and one night stands.' Lex… I don't exactly know what's going on with us, but… I know I don't want it to be that. I've never connected with anyone the way I have with you, and even with all the odds stacked against me… I…" She dropped her head to stare at the ground. 

Suddenly Lex quickly crossed the room to her, circled his arms around her waist, and pulled her close to him. "Hey, look at me, babe." He waited until she hesitantly did as he requested. "Whatever this turns into, it won't be either of those. I feel the same way you do. And when it comes to there being things you can't tell me, in case you forgot, I work for the CIA. If anyone understands, it's me. Hell, my own mother thinks I write greeting card captions." 

He smiled when a breath of relief blew from her lips, and her arms unfolded to rest over his shoulders with her head tucking into the crook of his neck. He kept one arm wrapped around her middle while his other hand carded through her hair affectionately. "How did this subject even come up?" She quickly tensed in his arms and the picture started to become a little clearer. "He asked you out and you turned him down." She nodded into his neck. He tried to force down the jealousy bubbling in his chest and asked the question he probably didn't want the answer to. "Was he ever a mistake or one night stand?"

Andy raised her head to look at him, wincing at the guarded look in his gaze. "He falls into both of those categories actually."

"Are you still interested in him?"

Her eyes went round at his question. "Oh God, NO!" She sighed heavily and averted her eyes from his. "Honestly, I wasn't even interested then. The only thing we were to each other was a way to pretend we weren't as broken and lonely as we really were."

Lex reached up with the hand that had been in her hair and gently hooked two fingers under her chin to guide her to meet his gaze again. "That's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm pretty sure everyone has one or two of those. I know I do. I don't care about the past, babe, only your future."

"I don't deserve you, Lex," she said as a small smile flitted across her lips.

"You deserve the best, Andy, and I really wanna be the one to give it to you." He softly traced along her bottom lip with the tip of his thumb. "I also  _ really _ want to kiss you right now."

"Then what are you waiting for?" she said, trailing a finger down the length of one of his sideburns.

It was all the invitation he needed. He threaded his fingers into her hair, cradling the back of her head, and softly pressed his lips to hers. The action was sweet and gentle, but elicited fireworks that sparked and crackled behind their eyes. Their mouths found a rhythm quickly that started to fan the embers of desire. When the tip of his tongue slipped out to trace her bottom lip, requesting an entrance that she eagerly gave, the fire that was building between them erupted. 

The kiss turned passionate and needy with her fingers tangling into his hair, his hands dropping to her hips. His palms smoothed down to her ass, squeezing and pulling her closer. A small moan slipped from her mouth into his when she felt his growing erection between them. Before she knew what was happening, the backs of her knees touched the mattress and she let him lay her down on the empty side of the bed. 

"Oh, Lex!" she sighed as his lips left hers to find sensitive spots on her neck.

Her back arched into him and her hands dropped to dig her fingers into his shoulders when he started nipping his way up to her ear. His hands started to roam her body, one hand sneaking up her shirt to tease her nipple through the fabric of her bra, causing her to wrap her legs around his waist and rock her hips into him.

Her phone ringing shrilly in her pocket almost shattered the moment. Lex raised his head to look at her as she growled and wrestled the phone out. She quickly dismissed the call, not bothering to see who was calling, and tossed it on the bed next to them. A smug smirk went across his lips when her hands threaded back into his hair and she pulled him back into another fiery kiss. Their lips had barely met when the phone started ringing again. 

Reluctantly, and with another small growl that pulled a soft chuckle from the man on top of her, she grabbed the device and accepted the call without looking at the caller ID.

" _ What?!"  _ she half shouted into the receiver.

"Uh… um…" Sam Winchester's confused voice came from the other end. "Everything alright, Andy?"

"It's fine, Sam!" she barked. "What do you want?" She would feel bad for being so short with him later. But at the moment, Lex had gone back to biting and sucking at her neck while his fingers at her breast pushed the fabric of her bra down, teasing her nipple into a tight, hard nub.

"I just wanted to let you know Cas just got here and he's going with us tonight," Sam explained.

He may have said more, she wasn't really sure, because at the exact moment he started talking Lex rolled his hips. She could feel his rock hard erection pressing into her core even through their layers of clothing, and she had to bite her lip to keep from moaning.

"That's uh… um... that's great," she managed to stutter. Her mind was too focused on Lex's fingers leaving her breast to trail down her stomach to the button of her jeans where he began to toy with the fastener. "Listen, Sam, I really have to go. I'll call you back."

She threw the phone back onto the bed as Lex raised his head with a mischievous smile splayed across his face. "You're an ass!" she told him.

"I wasn't hearing any complaints," he teased.

She grinned, reaching up to place her hands on either side of his face to pull his mouth back down to hers.

However, they both froze in their movements, their lips reluctantly parting when they heard the front door in the living room slam and Stiles' voice call out to them.

"Lex! Andy! Where are you guys?"

"Oh you have got to be fucking kidding me!" Andy growled as Lex pulled himself off of her to stand. "Lex is looking at my dress to figure out where to put a camera!" she called back to her brother, taking great care in making her voice sound normal. "We'll be out in a second!"

She sat up, taking a second to adjust her clothing and hair before she stood. "I have a feeling our second date is going to be me dragging you back to my apartment the moment our plane lands in Virginia."

Lex laughed as he tried to tame his own hair. "While I did have other plans, I would be more than OK with that."

"You might actually want to do what I said you were doing, at least until that calms down," she said, gesturing to the prominent bulge in his pants.

"Might be a good plan."

She placed a quick kiss on his lips, brushing the fingers of one hand down one of his sideburns once more when she pulled back. She bit her bottom lip as her hand fell back to her side and with a wink she turned to exit the room. Lex couldn't help himself as he tilted his head to the side to watch her ass as she walked away from him, his brow raising in appreciation at the sway of her hips.

He couldn't wait to get back to Virginia now.

* * *

"This is about as interesting as watching paint dry," Stiles grumbled, leaning back in his chair in front of Lex's computer monitors. His eyes were locked on the left screen watching a janitor slowly clean the governor's office.

"Imagine how I felt all day," Lex said from the other side of the table where he was focused on a circular, silver pendant attached to a thin chain made of the same metal he was using a soldering iron on. "Livingston and her assistants are probably the most boring people on the face of this planet. If they are up to something, they are  _ extremely _ good at keeping it hidden."

"I don't see what difference it's going to make by bugging the office," Stiles said. "Do you think we are wasting our time with this?"

"Orders are orders," Lex said sarcastically.

"That's a yes." Stiles glanced over to the other man. "What are you doing anyway?"

"Putting a camera in this charm."

"I thought you were putting it on her dress?"

"Couldn't get it to sit right without being obvious," Lex explained as he touched the iron to the metal carefully. "I suggested putting it in jewelry, but she insisted on this pain in the ass silver charm." He pulled away to admire his work. "I think I got it, though."

Stiles rolled his chair over to look at what Lex had been working on. The charm was a simple silver disk about the size of a stack of four quarters with Latin lettering around the edge. Lex had hollowed out a small part of the center where he put the tiny camera and then placed a secondary lens that looked like a simple piece of frosted glass with a series of small black dots in the middle.

"Nice," Stiles complemented. "What's with the Latin, though?"

"No idea," Lex said. "But Andy was adamant about me making sure I didn't mess up the engraving." He picked up the small disk to study the writing, committing the words to memory.  _ Protegas me ex animo noceat magicae. _

"Listen, Lex, about Andy," Stiles started.

Lex's eyes flashed up to meet his. "I'm gonna stop you right there," he said sternly. "This is really a conversation your sister should be a part of if you're intent on having it."

Stiles looked at him blankly for an instant before a thought occurred to him. "You talked to Terri."

"At the airport while you and Andy were getting us all breakfast. I understand your concern, I do, but we are  _ both _ adults, and it's my and Andy's decision alone to make."

"You haven't said anything to Andy have you?"

"It hasn't really come up. Besides, it's not my place to…" Lex's words trailed off as his face twisted into a searching expression, his eyes looking over Stiles’ shoulder.

The other man quickly turned around to follow his gaze to the computer screen where the janitor was leaving the governor's office through the front entrance. "What is it, Lex?"

"Did you see that?" Lex asked, jumping up from his seat to go to his keyboard.

"See what?"

"The janitor's eyes," Lex said quickly as he rolled back the footage a few seconds.

Lex hit play and the two men watched as the man on the screen walked up to the glass door and pulled a set of keys from his pocket. He unlocked the door and just before he opened it, he paused and turned around to look directly at the camera with what looked like a purposeful smirk. As soon as the camera caught his eyes a camera flare shot over them, much like what they had seen earlier that day on the jewelry store security footage. Lex paused the playback at exactly that second.

"That!" Lex exclaimed. "You see that, right?"

Stiles turned a confused expression to his friend. "It's a random camera flare. What's the big deal?"

Lex huffed out a breath and met his gaze. "The same flare the jewelry store footage had, and it's not a single flare! It's two! One on each eye specifically! Exactly like what we saw on the news earlier. That doesn't seem weird to you?"

"Could be the same type of camera."

"It's not."

"Then it's just a coincidence."

"I don't believe in those."

"Even if it's not, what does it have to do with what we're doing?"

Lex sighed as he stood straight. "I guess nothing." He knew Stiles had a point, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling in the back of his brain that the so-called "camera flare" meant  _ something _ .

"Lex, Andy's ready for you."

Both men turned their attention behind them to see Terri walking into the room and taking a seat on the couch. Lex nodded and set the security footage back to a live feed before he went to grab the necklace, a tiny clear ear bud, and a small battery pack from where he had been working at the other end of the table.

He padded down the hallway and into the bedroom ready to explain how his communication set-up worked, but when he saw Andy he couldn't even remember why he had entered the room in the first place. She was standing in front of a full length mirror applying a sandy rose-colored lipstick and the dress she wore, a shimmering midnight black, sweetheart neckline gown that flowed past her ankles, clung to every single one of her enticing curves perfectly. She smiled when she caught his reflection in the mirror and placed the lipstick on the dresser beside her as she turned to face him.

"What do ya think?" she asked, doing a small twirl for him.

It took a second for the neurons in his brain to start firing correctly again. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," he finally said as he walked up to her.

"You like the dress that much?"

"Well… yes, but I've thought that since I first laid eyes on you." 

"You're sweet."

"I'm honest."

Andy grinned as her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. Her eyes fell to the gadgets in his hands and she remembered why he was there in the first place. "Is that my camera and earpiece?"

Lex looked down at his hands like he had forgotten he was holding anything to begin with. "Uh… yeah." He held out the tiny earbud to her. "This should be pretty much invisible once you put it in, but I suggest keeping your hair down. It has a microphone in it as well, so we will have two-way communication." She took the device and placed it securely in her right ear. He held up the necklace to show her the adjustments he had made. "Your camera is behind the bubble of glass. The black dots design is actually a sensor lens that helps it focus." Lex moved to stand behind her to secure the necklace around her neck and clipped the small battery pack near the zipper on the inside of her dress. "I've already programmed everything so it's all connected. It's touch sensitive so all you have to do to turn it all on is touch the sensor lens for three seconds."

Their eyes met in the mirror in front of them and Andy was taken by surprise at the apprehension she saw swimming in his features.

"Lex, what's wrong?"

He flashed her a bright smile, pushing away the negativity in his face. "Nothing, babe. Just pre-mission jitters. You'd think after doing this for so long I'd be numb to it, but that's the curse of an analytical brain." His tone was light and he hoped she wouldn't see right through the facade and feel the ominous sense of dread that had settled over him in the last few seconds. "So," he started, dead set on changing the subject as he made his way to sit on the edge of the bed. "Do your partners for the evening need any technical assistance?"

Andy held back a laugh at his words. She knew the hunter/angel trio would cringe at the thought of being hooked up to devices tracking their movements. Truth be told, she wasn't very thrilled with the situation herself. Chances were, things were going to get ugly tonight and she was going to have to come up with an excuse as to why she had to go “radio silent” when they did. But it was the only way she was getting into that house without putting Lex, Terri, or her brother in danger.

"No, they're pretty set in their ways," she said as she crossed to her suitcase lying open on the bed next to Lex. She sifted through the contents for a moment until she found what she was looking for: a silver multi-row chain belt.

"I still think we should at least meet them."

She fought to keep her movements fluid while attaching the belt around her hips, attempting to answer his question with nonchalance. "Unfortunately, Gage thinks otherwise."

Lex nodded as he watched her, noting how she kept her gaze from his as she fished into her suitcase again to pull out a pair of sparkly silver sandal style heels. She set the shoes down on the bed and the way the light hit the metallic sole and heel had him picking one up to examine it more closely.

"Andy?" he inquired, running a finger down the stiletto that came down to a sharp point that was covered precariously by a flat piece of rubber. The material didn't even look like it was secured to the metal by much more than being stuck on the point. "Is this real silver?"

"Yeah," she said, pushing the suitcase up the bed so she could sit next to him. "A guy in Ireland custom-made them for me as a thank you for helping him out with some stuff." She put her one shoe on and waited for him to hand her the other, trying to bite back her anxiety over him being extremely close to figuring out the real function of the shoes. She inwardly released a breath of relief when he handed it over.

"What is it with you and silver anyway?"

She shrugged as she put the heel on. "I like it. It's very…  _ versatile _ ."

He nodded as she stood and watched her smooth out her dress, and he couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of nervousness coming off of her. "So tell me your plan again, just so I can make sure I know it."

"I'm meeting up with May, Taylor, and Elkins," she said, walking to the dresser to pick up her faux ID badge, making sure to use the Winchesters' and Castiel's aliases.

"That's Sam, Dean, and Cas, right?"

Damn his attention to detail. "Yeah. I'm meeting them at their hotel. Dean and Cas are going in their car, Sam with me. Then we are heading to the house, mingling, gathering info, and then getting out of there."

The plan she had fed him, Terri, and Stiles had been so simple. If only it were the truth. She was meeting them at their hotel, and Sam was coming with her. But that's where the truth ended. Sam and Dean had located a possible location where the victims of the shifters were being held and it needed to be checked out. That's where Dean and Castiel were headed while she and Sam went to Livingston's home. 

"Well, hopefully we get everything we need tonight to move forward with this," Lex said.

"Yeah, let's hope it all goes according to plan."

* * *

Andy pulled her car into the designated parking area in front of the governor's home. She and Sam looked around with perplexity when they saw there weren’t nearly as many cars in the drive than they were expecting. She had seen the guest list and it had been extensive, and there should have been at least thirty vehicles in the area. However, counting the one they were in there were ten, along with five police cars. But only one officer was standing at the front door.

"Are we early?" Andy asked as she glanced down at the clock on the dash. They were definitely not early. In fact, they were running thirty minutes late. "I thought you said the sheriff wanted you and Dean to help with security?"

"He did." Sam looked about the darkened grounds, an unsettling feeling forming in the pit of his stomach that he knew the woman next to him felt too. "Maybe you should ask Lex to check the guest list again."

She nodded and touched the pendant around her neck for three seconds and heard a soft beep. "Hey, Lex. Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," he responded through the ear piece. "I can see, too. Where the hell is everybody?"

"I was hoping you could find that out for me," she told him. "Could you pull up the most recent version of the guest list?"

"On it."

She waited for a few seconds and Lex's voice filled her ear again.

"The guest list hasn't changed, but…" There was a beat where she heard him typing. "It looks like one of her assistants sent out emails to most of the names on the list rescheduling."

Andy turned to Sam with a grave expression and relayed what she had just been told. The look on the man's face soon matched hers. "I've got a bad feeling about this," he told her.

"I do, too, but we have a job to do," she reminded him.

"What?!" Lex was talking again. "No! Something isn't right here, Andy! You all need to abort mission and regroup!"

"That's not an option, Lex."

"He thinks we should leave?" Sam asked.

She nodded, still hearing Lex's protests in her ear. "Lex! Listen!" she interrupted after a few seconds. "We have to at least get a look around in there, see who didn't get uninvited. We'll just say we didn't get the memo, stay long enough for you to get a shot of everyone, and get the hell out."

She could see Sam raising his brow at her through her peripheral vision. He knew she was lying. They both knew what they were about to walk into.

"We should wait on Dean and Cas," Sam whispered.

"Too late," Andy said as she peered through the windshield at the police officer walking up to the car.

* * *

Lex went silent when he saw through his computer screen that Andy had rolled down her window to speak with the uniformed officer. He cursed the camera angle under his breath, annoyed that he couldn't see the man's face. But he did notice that the man wasn't wearing anything that indicated his identity.

"Hello, officer," he heard Andy say with a fake confused air. "Are we in the wrong place?"

"Oh, no, ma'am," the officer replied in an overly friendly tone. "Some lines of communication got crossed, and not everyone got informed that the party was rescheduled. Ms. Livingston is still entertaining the few that showed up if you and your friend would like to come in."

Something definitely wasn't right. "Andy, get out of there!" Lex urged. "I've got a really bad feeling about this!"

He rolled his eyes in agitation when he heard her accept the offer. He watched as she got out of the car, turning briefly to make sure Sam was with her, and then followed the man to the door. There was no conversation as the duo followed the man up the walkway and through the front entrance. They walked through a corridor to a set of large double doors.

When they entered, Lex felt like something punched him in the stomach. There were twenty people standing around the room with Livingston in the center. Each and every one of them turned their eyes to Sam and Andy. 

Eyes that immediately flared through the camera lens.

When Andy spoke next, he could hear the change in her tone. It was suddenly cold with a sense of acceptance and determination that sent a chill down his spine. "I'm sorry."

He saw her hand cover the lens and three seconds later a soft beep sounded in his ear before his video feed and communication ended.

"Andy!" he shouted, and then brought up a program on his computer. He began to type furiously to override the manual action to reconnect.

* * *

Andy dropped her hand back to her side and glanced at Sam. They both knew as soon as they had walked into the room that every occupant was a shapeshifter. The sound of a lock clicking into place filled their ears and the policeman went to join Livingston in the center of the room. The smile on the woman's face was pure wickedness as she gazed at the two hunters.

"So good of you to join us Alexandria, Sam," she cooed as she walked up to them. "We've been waiting for you. It appears you are missing a member of your party. Tell me, where  _ is _ Dean?"

"Not here," Sam spat, making sure not to give away his relief that she obviously didn't know Castiel had joined them. He could see Andy's hand slowly moving to the silver chain around her hips.

"I can see that," Livingston growled. "No matter." Her tone was suddenly cheery. "I just get two shows tonight." She walked back to the center of the room and then quickly spun back to face them. "I was so very excited when I was…  _ propositioned _ with the task of disposing of you three. It's a shame the rest of your team isn't here, Alexandria. That would make this just so perfect."

"How do you even know me and my team?" Andy demanded.

Livingston gave a sickeningly sweet giggle that bordered on hysterical. "You and your little team have made quite the impression in the monster community. I dare say you’re right up there with the Winchesters. You have definitely caught the attention of some powerful beings that want you dead. You should take it as a compliment."

"Oh, I do," Andy replied.

Livingston's eyes darkened as she studied the huntress. "Well, without further ado..." She raised her hand to snap her fingers and the rest of the shapeshifters charged.

Andy whipped the belt from her hips, ripping apart the different rows and throwing them into the faces of the three closest shifters. They screamed as they tried to tear the burning metal from their faces, giving her time to kick off her shoes and break the silver stilettos off. She knocked the rubber tips off the pointed ends and then immediately sunk her new weapons into the chest of another pair of monsters heading for her. With a swift kick to each of their chests in turn, she hoisted them off her blades and turned on the three shifters with silver chains still burning into the flesh of their faces, giving each of them a fatal blow.

She took a risky moment to turn her attention to Sam, who was currently pulling his own silver blade from the chest of his fifth shifter as well. Their eyes met, and they were quickly moving to stand back to back as the remaining ten shifters, Livingston and the police officer included, surrounded them. The loud bang of the doors being broken down pulled their attention long enough for both Sam and Andy to take out another shifter apiece. They both thanked whatever higher power that was listening to see that it was Castiel and Dean entering the fray. 

Dean quickly tossed them each an angel blade a piece and the quartet worked together, fighting seamlessly to try and take out the rest of the monsters trying to end their life. However, the shifters were an even match. Andy was suddenly tackled to the ground by the police officer. She hit the ground hard, the action knocking the wind from her lungs and distracting her long enough to miss the soft beep coming from the earpiece she still wore.

* * *

The image on Lex's screen shook as he saw the room go by in a flash. Andy had been knocked to the ground, hitting the camera against the ground on impact. The feed was now grainy, the color distorted with lines of static, yet he could clearly see the police officer straddling Andy. His retinas flared in the camera lens and Lex froze when he saw the light in the room glint off the knife he held with  _ smoke? _ coming from where his hand closed around the silver handle.

Lex didn't have time to react before a pair of hands grabbed either side of the man's head and bright white lights shot upward from his eyes and mouth. The video feed shook and scrambled violently, then the screen went black.

What the  _ fuck _ did he just witness?

* * *

Andy smiled at Castiel as he threw the now dead police officer to the ground and extended his hand to help her back to her feet. Their moment was short lived as another set of shapeshifters barreled towards them. Andy shoved her angel blade into one as the angel fried the other just as he had done the fake police officer. The duo turned just in time to see Livingston's lifeless body slumping to the ground with Sam and Dean standing over her. The four quickly did a sweep of their surroundings making sure they were the only ones left standing, and then finally relaxed their fighting postures.

"Everyone in one piece?" Dean asked as he examined the other three with his eyes.

They all nodded.

"Then we need to get the hell out of here," Dean continued. "This place is about to go up like a roman candle."

" _ WHAT?!" _ Sam and Andy shouted.

"We found the victims of these assholes, alive. Called Gage. He said for Cas to wipe their memories and then get rid of any evidence. This place is about to have a terrible gas line explosion," Dean said, speaking quickly as he ushered everyone from the room. "Now let's go!"

* * *

Lex tried desperately to get any communication with Andy for the next few seconds, but quickly gave up and jerked his phone from his pocket as he ripped his headphones and mic from his head, posed to call the police. However before he could punch in the first number, his phone rang with Gage's name lighting up the display. Against his better judgement he answered the call.

"Sir!" he started urgently, only to be cut off by the director's calm voice.

"Everything is fine, Lex."

"Everything is  _ not _ fine!" Lex shouted. "I just saw—"

"I know what you saw, Lex. I've been watching on my end as well."

"Then you know Andy—"

"Is fine. She is on her way back now."

"What?!" Lex couldn't believe how off-handed Gage was being. "How?!"

"The how isn't important. She is safe. I suggest you not ask questions."

"You  _ suggest _ or  _ order _ me not to ask questions?" Lex asked with more venom in his voice than he was intending.

"What do you think, Lex?" When he didn't respond, Gage continued. "Andy has her own orders. Accept what she tells you for your own good and hers. Also, not a word to Stiles and Terri about what you  _ think _ you saw tonight."

The call disconnected and Lex lowered the phone from his ear to stare at the black screen. He jumped suddenly when he heard the sirens from emergency vehicles speed past the house.

* * *

Andy dragged her fingers through her dishevelled and knotted hair. Her body ached, and she could feel bruises and cuts on her body that she hadn't felt in the heat of the moment. The one on her shoulder in particular was causing her a lot of grief; it had apparently taken the brunt of the impact when the shifter tackled her to the ground. Cas had used quite a bit of energy wiping the victims' memories and vaporizing some of the shifters, and neither her or the Winchesters were about to let him run himself into the ground to heal their non life-threatening wounds.

The pain shooting through her arm and up her neck from her banged shoulder paled in comparison to the anxiety rolling through her in waves. Her stomach twisted and churned, and she had debated pulling over to throw up more than once now. News of the explosion at the governor's house had taken all of ten minutes to hit the local news. By the time she had made it to the Winchesters' hotel her phone had started to scream with calls from Lex, Terri, and Stiles. She had left them with a simple "I'm OK,” and that was it.

It was shortly after that that her night got about a million times worse.

She sighed as she glanced down to the clear earpiece, battery pack, and necklace with the now fried camera. Castiel's grace had inadvertently destroyed the device when he killed the fake policeman. She felt another wave of nausea overtake her as her phone call with Gage filled her memory.

_ She had just hung up with her brother when her phone started to ring again, this time with the CIA director's name on the screen. _

_ "We have a slight problem," he had told her. "Lex saw Castiel kill the shifter." _

_ Andy paled as she leaned against the door to the room. "What?!" she had croaked out. "How?!" _

_ Gage quickly explained that Lex had gone in through a backdoor in the program he had used for their communication devices and turned her earpiece and camera back on at about the time she was hitting the ground. The image had been skewed just enough for them to give him a bullshit story, which Gage had already thought up. Andy felt numb as she listened to her orders on what to tell the trio she had flown to Rhode Island with. _

Andy sighed despondently as she navigated her car into the driveway of the house she knew Lex was waiting in. She felt a small twinge of relief that her rental car was the only one in the driveway. However the feeling didn't last long when she noticed the soft glow coming through the front window of the house. She knew exactly what Lex was going through at the moment. He had seen something he couldn't explain, something that could potentially warp his entire view of the world he lived in. But, there was one big difference: When that had happened to her, Sam and Dean were there to tell her the truth, and she had been given strict orders to lie to Lex.

She didn't want to do this.

* * *

Lex heard her car pull up and the engine cut off. It took every bit of his restraint to keep himself planted on the coffee table in front of the couch. He sat on the edge, facing the door with his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped together in front of him. He wasn't sure how he had ended up in this specific spot. Everything started to blur and ramble together after he had heard the sirens blaring as emergency vehicles sped past the house. 

He had seen… What had he seen? Way too many retinal flares for there not to be a reason? He could live with that, pack it deep down within himself and act like it had never transpired. What he couldn't get past, what he had been trying to convince himself he hadn't seen, was the police officer straddling Andy and what had happened to him. There was no denying that if what Lex had witnessed had  _ not _ occurred, that Andy would have had that blade shoved into her. But, had what he seen stop him  _ actually _ stop him? Did a pair of hands really grab either side of that man's head, and did lights really burst forth from his eyes and mouth?

Those thoughts had come to a screeching halt when a "breaking news bulletin" flashed across the TV, and his stomach hit the ground. There had been an explosion at Livingston's house. Stiles and Terri had just pulled out of the governor's office parking lot when the same news flash had hit the radio waves. It had taken the three of them eighteen minutes and twenty-seven calls before Andy had finally answered the phone for Lex, telling him she was fine. She rushed him off the phone with the promise that she would call her brother and be back to the house soon.

Lex looked up when he heard the door open, sucking in a breath as she walked in and closed the door behind her. Their eyes met and they stayed locked in their gaze for a moment. She looked like she had been in a fight. Her hair was tangled and mussed, and she had scratches and bruises randomly placed on her exposed arms and shoulders. He broke their eye contact to travel down her body. The dress was ripped on the side up to her thigh and her shoes were gone. What the hell had happened to her?

He brought his gaze back to hers and he could clearly see the war going on inside her mind and he instantly knew she had been told to lie about the night's events. There were tears in her eyes and her mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to formulate the words she had been instructed to say. She gave up after a few tries and hung her head.

Suddenly the need for the answers to his questions weren't important. The only thing that mattered was that the girl standing in front of him was alive and safe. He jumped up from his seat on the coffee table and quickly closed the distance between them. He saw the complete surprise in her eyes when he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her body into his. His other hand came up to brush the hair from her face, his touch sliding around to cradle the back of her head. He kissed her long, slow, and deep. Her arms wound around his neck and she melted into him.

"Lex," she whispered, breathless as the kiss ended.

"You're here, safe, and in my arms," he told her as he pressed his forehead gently to hers. "That's all I care about right now."

Their mouths molded together once more. Lips parted, tongues teased, and hands began to roam the other's body. Together, they started to move back towards the couch. However, before they could make it to their destination, the front door swung open, and Terri and Stiles walked into the room.

"Dammit, Andy! Get off of him!" Stiles’ angry voice boomed.

Lex and Andy reluctantly broke their embrace and spun to face the couple just as Terri was closing the door. Stiles was beyond mad, his face tinted red and steam practically coming from his ears. Terri showed the signs of someone who had had to listen to the man's ravings since it started, and moved herself out of the way to sit at Lex's computer.

"You wanna tell me just what the fuck happened tonight?!" Stiles demanded, locking his attention on his sister.

"You know what happened," Andy said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Gage called you just like he called me. Party rescheduled. Thank God, too, because no one was there when the place went up in flames."

"Yeah, that's why you look like you've been in a fight."

"What I look like is none of your concern!"

"Maybe not. But you know what  _ is _ my concern?" Stiles growled and stepped into his sister's space. He looked down at her with fury in his eyes while she stared back with defiance. "Wasting my fucking time while my own sister lies to my face!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Andy demanded.

Stiles took a step back from her, laughing cynically. "What am I talking about? This whole mission, at least my, Terri, and Lex's side of it, was complete bullshit! I went in and bugged that fucking office just to get out and hear that the governor's house exploded because of a supposed faulty gas line. Then I get a call from Gage to go in and remove everything I installed. Well, I did a little digging while I was there. There is no indication whatsoever that Livingston was doing anything wrong. You expect me to believe Gage made a mistake? No, the real mission was whatever the fuck you and those three FBI agents did tonight. We were all just a fucking distraction!"

"What do you want me to say, Aiden?" Andy asked, her own ire mounting. "You know the nature of our jobs! You and I have always had the understanding that there are just some things we can't tell each other!"

"That's a fucking cop out, Andy! Tell me what happened tonight!"

"I CAN'T!"

"CAN'T OR WON'T?!"

"BOTH!" Andy's arms were straight and rigid at her sides, her hands balled into fists. "Trust me when I say you  _ don't _ want to know!"

"This is just fucking typical!" Stiles said in exasperation, throwing his hands in the air. "Let me guess: you won't be here in the morning when we all wake up? You gonna fuck Lex and mess with his head real good before you leave?"

"STILES!" Terri and Lex shouted together, Terri jumping from her seat and bounding over to him to grab his arm.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean, Aiden?!" Andy said, almost shaking with anger now.

"It's what you do!" Stiles shouted, ripping out of Terri's hold. "You fly in, some kind of shit hits the fan, and then you’re gone. At least, that's how it was for an entire year until you all but fucking vanished five years ago. It was six goddamn months before you called Mom! We all thought you were dead!"

"Wait," Andy said as her brain started to piece together his behavior since she had arrived and his reaction to her and Lex. "Your issue with me and Lex… it's not because you are being overprotective of me. You're afraid I'm going to hurt him."

"Andy," Stiles started, trying to calm his voice. "You're my sister, and I love you. But a traveling circus knows how to put down roots better than you, and I'm the one that has to pick up the pieces after you come crashing through. It's just better for everyone if you don't make any connections while you're here. That way no one gets hurt when you take off without a word."

A heavy silence fell over the room, none of them able to believe the words that had come out of the man's mouth. Tears rolled down Andy's cheeks as she looked into her brother's eyes. She needed to get away from him, needed to get herself together. So when Lex stepped forward to defend her, and his and her brother's attention was locked on each other with Terri inserting herself in the middle trying to diffuse the situation, Andy slipped out the front door.

She had every intention of getting into her rental car and leaving, but when she had her hand on the handle to the driver's side door, she changed her mind. Instead she sighed and turned to lean her back against the vehicle. She could still hear Lex and Stiles shouting back and forth inside the house as she stared up at the night sky. She knew her brother had made a valid point, but she desperately wanted this time to be different.

A shift in the wind suddenly had her instincts zinging throughout her, and she stood straight. She used her whole body to turn and survey her surroundings. She nearly screamed when she returned to her original stance and saw a man in front of her wearing an all black suit. He was tall and muscular with sharp attractive features and smooth dark brown hair. He held a long obsidian bladed dagger in his hand with a black leather bound hilt, but it was his black void eyes that had her ready to fight.

He moved with inhuman speed as he lunged at her, crashing her back into the car door. She fought against him but a strangled scream ripped from her throat when she felt the searing pain from the dagger entering her body just under her sternum. The demon laughed as he backed away from her, watching her clutch at the knife in her body.

"You know what they say," the demon said as Andy's knees buckled and she slid down the car door to the ground. He smiled at the growing puddle of blood pooling around her. "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."

Her vision started to spin and blur as the demon vanished into thin air. She could hear Lex and her brother shouting her name urgently, fear evident in their tone. The sound of Terri's scream when she rounded the car and found Andy on the ground seemed like it was miles away. The last thing Andy saw before darkness closed in was Lex's terrified face looming over her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter warnings: Dirty talk and mentions of medically distributed painkillers

_ Providence, Rhode Island _

The Winchesters and Castiel burst through the doors of the emergency waiting room of Rhode Island Hospital, whipping their heads wildly around at the occupants sitting in the clusters of chairs.

"How do we even know which one is her brother?" Sam asked in agitation.

"Simple," Dean said and moved to the center of the room. "Aiden Stiles!"

Stiles and Terri suddenly stood from chairs in the corner of the room next to a couple of vending machines and Dean quickly led the way over to them.

"Who the hell are you guys?!" Stiles demanded. He had his sister's blood smeared across the front of his shirt and pants, stunning Sam and Dean into momentary silence.

"We are friends of Andy's," Castiel offered.

Recognition settled over Stiles' face and his expression rapidly flipped to anger. "You're the FBI agents she was working with tonight!" His body moved into a defensive stance as he stomped up to Dean. "You assholes have some fucking nerve—"

"Stiles!" Terri said as she took hold of his arm. "Stop! It's not their fault that Andy is in here!"

Stiles stilled himself and took a step back, grumbling an apology as he took his seat again.

"Are you Terri?" Sam asked, stepping forward to take control of the situation from his side before Dean could respond.

Terri nodded. "I am," she told him. "Which one are you?"

"I'm Sam," the younger Winchester said. "These are my partners Dean and Cas." He gestured to each at the mention of their names. "What happened Terri? Gage called us and all he said was that Andy had been stabbed and that we needed to get to the hospital."

Terri sighed sadly as she gazed at the man in front of her. She heard Stiles groan behind her and moved to place her hand on his shoulder before she spoke. "Things got a little tense when Andy got back to the house tonight and she stepped out for some air. We didn't know that she'd gone. We heard her scream and ran out and she was on the ground with a knife sticking out of her. Lex and Stiles tried to help her, but with the position of the knife they couldn't pull it out. I called an ambulance and we followed it here."

"Have the doctors said anything?" Castiel asked.

"They came out about an hour ago to tell us that the blade lacerated the left lobe of her liver, causing a hematoma. They took her into emergency surgery to try and fix it."

"Try?!" Dean choked out, then grabbed Castiel by the arm, hauling him off out of earshot.

Sam knew exactly what they were talking about. Dean wanted Castiel to get to Andy and heal her. The younger Winchester sighed and focused back on Terri. "How… Are they optimistic about the surgery?"

Terri sighed regretfully. "They said they were hopeful, but they didn't want to give us any false sense of hope. They wouldn't know exactly how bad it was until they opened her up."

Sam scrubbed a hand down his face as his disgruntled brother and friend rejoined the group. He quickly relayed what Terri had just told him and the older Winchester's shoulders sagged.

"So, all we can do is sit here and wait," Dean stated. He watched Terri nod sadly. "Where's the other guy? The hacker."

"Lex?" Terri questioned.

"Yeah, that guy."

"I was giving my statement to the police."

The Winchesters and Castiel spun around at the sound of Lex's voice. They all suddenly felt as if they had been punched in the face at the sight of the man. Castiel's eyes widened in interest and Sam's mouth hit the ground. But Dean was taken over by rage. The elder Winchester reached out, grabbing Lex by the shirt and turning to throw him into the vending machine behind him.

"What the fuck?!" Stiles shouted, and was on his feet and jumping in between them as Castiel and Sam tried to hold Dean back.

"What the fuck is your problem?!" Lex demanded, stepping around Stiles.

"You sorry son of a bitch!" Dean shouted. "You tricked us again?! What the fuck Gab—"

"DEAN!" Castiel yelled, standing in front of Dean and grabbing him by the shoulders. "It's not him!"

Dean blinked in confusion as he dragged his eyes from Lex to the angel in front of him. "What do you mean it's not him?! Look at him, Cas!"

"I  _ did,  _ Dean!" Castiel told him sternly, leaving no room for argument. "I know my own brother when I see him and it's  _ not _ him!"

The elder Winchester looked back and forth between the angel and Lex a few more times before his posture started to relax and he shrugged out of Castiel and Sam's hold. "Sorry," he grumbled. "Thought you were someone else."

The tension between the men was palpable as Terri looked around the room and realized every single pair of eyes were on them. The nurses had come around from their station and security guards were starting to edge closer to them.

"Come on guys," she urged. "Let's sit down before we  _ all _ get thrown out of here.” When none of them moved her own anger bubbled up. "NOW you idiots!"

They all scrambled to do as she said, Stiles and Lex taking seats next to each other while Castiel and the Winchesters chose seats directly across from them. When they were all seated, Terri took a spot on the other side of Lex. They sat in a thick silence for the next hour until a doctor walked up to them.

"Aiden Stiles?" the doctor asked, looking between the men. 

"That's me," Stiles said, and stood to shake the doctor's hand.

"I'm Dr. Hubbard, Alexandria's surgeon."

The rest of the group stood anxiously.

"How is she, doctor?" Stiles asked.

"Surgery went well. We were able to repair the laceration in her liver, along with some damage to the surrounding area. We are going to keep her for a few days for observation and then we will go from there," Dr. Hubbard explained.

"Can we see her?" Lex asked.

"She's still in recovery at the moment. Once she is in a room you can. I suggest you take the time to get yourselves changed," Hubbard said, indicating the blood still on Lex and Stiles’ clothes. "She's been through a lot tonight and she doesn't need to see her own blood prominently displayed."

"Thank you, Dr. Hubbard," Terri said. "I'll make sure they are presentable when they go in."

Hubbard smiled at her and nodded. "I'll have a nurse come get you when she's in a room."

* * *

Lex and Stiles sat in chairs on either side of Andy's hospital bed, each of them leaning back in their seats as they waited for her to awaken. Terri had made them go back to the house to change their clothes, and by the time they had returned Andy had been moved to a room. She was still going in and out of consciousness from the painkillers they had given her, so all any of them could do was wait. Neither man had left her side since they had arrived three hours prior. Terri had finally convinced them to eat something and she, the Winchesters, and Castiel had gone down to the hospital cafeteria together.

Stiles released a breath as he scrubbed his hands down his face. The guilt the man felt was rolling off of him in waves so thick Lex could practically see them. He sighed as he looked at his friend and back to the girl lying in the bed.

"Stiles, you know this isn't your fault, right?" Lex said.

"How is this not my fault? If I hadn't been a complete prick she never would have gone outside." Stiles gruffed out a harsh laugh. "If I had just kept my mouth shut, she would have probably been in a bed with you right now instead of this one."

"You can't do that to yourself. The coulda, woulda, shouldas will eat you alive. The only thing that matters is that she's alive and she's going to recover."

"I guess you're right," Stiles admitted, even though his guilt still seemed to be firmly in place.

"You still owe her an apology, though," Lex reminded him. "You were pretty harsh."

"I know. I plan on it. I really didn't mean for it to come out like that."

"I don't agree with how you said it, let me make that clear. But it's better that it all came out instead of festering even more. Now you two can work through those issues."

"If she'll even talk to me," Stiles said as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"She will."

Stiles chuckled softly as he finally drug his eyes from his sister to the man across from him. "You've started to really care about her, haven't you?"

The corner of his mouth twitched upwards as Lex met his gaze. "Yes."

"And it doesn't bother you that she could be gone the second she's cleared for duty again?"

"After the past eight hours, that's the least of my worries. A little time with her is better than none at all."

* * *

Dean let his exhausted body flop down into a chair at one of the tables in the mostly deserted hospital cafeteria. Sam and Castiel looked up from their seats as he did. Even Castiel looked a little worn around the edges.

"Where's Terri?" Sam asked.

"She went up to bring Stiles and Geek Squad their food."

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother, too tired to deal with it. "Real mature, Dean."

Dean simply shrugged and turned to Castiel. "So, now that it's just the three of us, you wanna explain why the hell that dude looks like Gabriel?"

"Technically," Castiel started. “He looks like Loki. The form Gabriel was in was just a vessel."

"You know what I meant, Cas!" Dean said impatiently. 

The angel huffed at the elder Winchester before he began to explain. "I can't be a hundred percent sure unless we compare their DNA, but he could possibly be a descendant of Loki's."

Sam turned his attention to Castiel with a raised brow. "So he's a demigod?"

"No, he's completely human."

"Then what does it mean?" Dean demanded. "Should we be keeping an eye on him or not?"

"Being a descendant of a god doesn't necessarily mean you inherit their abilities these days. The gods and their offspring mixed with humans so much over the centuries that the bloodlines got watered down and the magic within was lost. That's why you don't see new generations of deities popping up. I admit, it's an uncomfortable turn of events for us, but that's all. He isn't a danger."

"We have to let Andy know!" Dean declared, causing his companions to look at him with perplexity.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"If Egghead shares blood with Loki that could be dangerous for her!"

"Dean, I just said he isn't a danger. No one or nothing has any reason to have any interest in him unless it's to get to Andy," Castiel said.

"She still has a right to know!"

"Dean," Sam started, exasperated. " _ He _ probably doesn't even know! Are you sure you don't just want to tell her in hopes it will push her away from him?"

"Why the hell would you even think that?!"

"Oh, I don't know, because you're obviously jealous of him!"

"I am not!"

"Whatever you wanna tell yourself, Dean," Sam said. "But there is no reason to tell her this. She's obviously made her choice and you are just going to have to deal with it."

* * *

"The police are back and they want to talk to you," Terri said to Stiles as she placed styrofoam food containers on the adjustable bed table in the corner of the hospital room.

Stiles simply nodded and stood from his chair. He crossed to the door and paused with his hand on the handle and looked at Terri.

"I'll come with you," she offered and turned to Lex. "You good here for a minute?"

"Yeah, you guys go."

Terri and Stiles nodded and were out the door. Not long after their departure, the sound of Andy groaning had Lex jumping up from his seat and rushing to stand next to her bed. Her eyes fluttered open and he smiled down at her while he took her hand that was closest to him into his.

"Hey, babe, how are you feeling?" he asked softly when her eyes met his.

She took a second to look around the room and at the different wires, IV, and oximeter attached to her free hand. She brought her gaze back to his. "A little disappointed that getting stabbed wasn't a nightmare," she told him, forcing a small smile.

"Yeah, it really happened. What do you remember?"

She closed her eyes as the memory flooded her mind, the deep black void of the demon's eyes burning into her vision and his words on repeat in her ears. She needed to talk to the Winchesters and Castiel. She shook her head to try and clear it, knowing Gage would inform the boys where she was and what he knew. All she needed to do was wait until they showed up. There was no need to worry Lex when she couldn't even tell him everything. 

"I don't really want to talk about that right now," she said quietly as she averted her gaze from him.

"That's fine," he assured her and squeezed her hand. "We don't have to talk about anything if you don't want to. Is there anything I can do for you?"

She turned back to him with a meek look on her face, worrying at her bottom lip. "Can you just lay with me?"

"Gladly."

She scooted over as best she could, wincing slightly from the pain in her upper abdomen, and he slid in beside her on top of the blankets. Being careful not to pull at any of the wires attached to her, he put his arm around her and she settled into his side. She breathed out slowly, enjoying the comfort that his closeness provided. After a few moments he reached up with one hand to hook two fingers under her chin and gently tilted her head up to look at him.

"I'm really glad you're OK, Andy." He placed a tender kiss on her lips. "Twice today I was so afraid I'd lost you." His fingers caressed up her jaw line and threaded through her hair. "You gotta stop scaring me like that."

"I can promise I'll try," she said with a small chuckle.

"That's all I can ask." He kissed her again and his hand fell to hers between them, lacing his fingers into hers. "Though, I dare say this changes the plans for our second date again. We might just have to keep it rated PG, or… maybe PG-13? I think R might be pushing it, though. Depends on what you are feeling up to and what the doctor says. I'm good with just piling up on the couch and watching a movie if that's all we can do."

Her mouth nearly hit the ground. "You still want to go on a second date with me? Even after everything that happened tonight?"

"Are you kidding?" Lex replied in astonishment. "Babe, I want a second date, third date, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh. I could keep counting, but I think you get the picture."

"It um… it almost sounds like you want…"

"A relationship?" Lex finished her sentence with a smile on his lips.

"Yeah… that."

"What if I do? Would that be so bad?"

Andy chuckled nervously as she looked down at their intertwined fingers. "It's been a really long time since I've tried to have one of those. I'm not sure I remember how to do it."

His hand raised to cup the side of her face and her eyes came up to meet his. "Then we'll figure it out together," he told her.

"Even with everything Aiden said, you still want to take a chance on me?"

"OK, first off, Stiles isn't exactly the person to be getting relationship advice from. Do you know how long it took him and Terri to figure their shit out? Second, I know what I want, and I want you. For any amount of time you will let me have you. So whaddya say? You wanna give us a shot?"

Andy couldn't fight the bright smile his words brought to her lips. "I really do."

Lex's face lit up with a wide grin and he captured her lips with his once more. Her hand quickly came up to clutch the front of his shirt, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. 

"Sorry for the interruption," Dean's sarcastic-sounding voice sounded from the doorway of the room. The eldest Winchester waited until the couple on the bed pulled their mouths apart, looking at him with annoyance before he spoke again. "Cops wanna talk to you again, Lex."

Lex nodded and turned back to Andy. "I'll be right back. Do you want me to tell them you're awake?"

"Might as well," she sighed. "I'll have to talk to them eventually."

He placed another quick kiss to her lips before he unwound himself from her and stood. As he exited, Sam and Castiel entered.

"How are you doing?" Sam asked as Castiel shut the door.

"Not gonna lie. I've been better," Andy snarked.

"Do you remember any of what happened?" Dean asked.

"Before we get into that," Castiel interrupted. He crossed the room to Andy's bedside to place two fingers to her forehead.

"Just the internal stuff, Cas," she told the angel. "Don't wanna raise too many flags."

He nodded and proceeded to use his grace to heal what he could.

"Thanks, Cas," she said as he lowered his hand and moved to stand with the Winchesters again.

"So what happened?" Dean asked again.

Andy took a deep breath. "You guys might wanna sit down. I think we have a problem."

* * *

After quickly filling the Winchesters and Castiel in on the demon she had seen, they left to see what they could dig up. A couple of officers from the Providence Police Department made their way into her room next and proceeded to question her for well over two hours. By the time they were finished she was exhausted again. Even with Castiel healing her liver she still had a great deal of pain, and Lex finally convinced her to let them give her something to help. It wasn't long after that he was holding her while once again in her bed, and they were both asleep.

She woke the next morning with Lex still beside her. Terri was asleep in a reclining hospital chair next to her bed and the Winchesters were passed out sitting up on a small couch in the corner of the room. Her brother was awake and seated on the other side of the bed, and he waited silently for her eyes to fall upon him.

"Hey, sis," he whispered.

"Hey."

There was a beat of silence between them, neither knowing what or if they should speak. Finally, Stiles couldn't take it anymore.

"Andy, I'm so sorry. I had no right to speak to you like that. It's my fault you're in here! It's my fault you almost—"

"Aiden, stop!" she said quietly. "This isn't your fault. Shit happens. Stop blaming yourself. And… I'm sorry, too. For everything. I hadn’t realized what all I’ve put you through the last few years. It was never my intention to hurt you or anyone. I just… my job… the things I'm doing… I  _ have _ to do them. It's how I do my part to make the world a better place. But, I'm trying to do better. That's why I accepted Gage's offer. I want this time to be different." She glanced to the sleeping man with his arm around her. "I want things to be different with him." Her attention went back to her brother. "I can't promise anything except that I'm trying."

"I know you are," Stiles said, reaching out to cover her hand resting on the bed. "I promise to be more understanding, and to ease up on you and Lex. If you guys want to try and make this work, then I won't stand in your way."

"Then, I guess now would be a good time to tell you that Lex and I decided to give an actual relationship a try."

Stiles chuckled softly, trying not to wake the others. "Damn, Lex works fast."

Andy smiled as her brother leaned back in his chair and turned her head to the sleeping forms of the Winchesters. "When did they get back?"

"About two hours ago. I'm not sure where the other one is, but Sam said they needed to talk to you. I told them they could wait until you woke up, but they passed out almost as soon as they sat down. I guess they were running on fumes like the rest of us."

Andy nodded, silently hoping they had found something about the demon that put her in her current situation as she leaned her head into Lex's shoulder. She could feel dark clouds looming over her head and she knew she needed to get out of the hospital to figure things out. Hopefully with Castiel healing most of her injury it would speed up the process and she would be discharged soon.

* * *

After she had been made to eat breakfast, was poked and prodded by the nurses, had the bandage changed over her stitches, and went through another MRI, Andy and the Winchesters finally got a moment alone to discuss what they had found.

Andy huffed as she let herself fall back onto the raised head of her hospital bed, wincing in pain as she did. Why did she still hurt so much?

"I haven't even been here twelve hours and I'm already going out of my mind," Andy grumbled as both brothers took a seat on the end of her bed.

"Just say the word and we'll break you out," Dean offered, only half-joking.

"Don't tempt me," Andy warned. "But, we should talk before everyone gets back. They won't be on the phone with Gage for long. Where's Cas?"

"On his way to Langley to ward Stiles’, Terri’s, and Lex's apartments. Gage asked him to do it when we told him what  _ really _ happened last night," Sam explained.

"Thanks for calling him," Andy said. "Did you find anything at the house?"

"Found sulfur in the driveway," Dean said. "So it was definitely a demon. Cas couldn't get a sense of which one we are dealing with, though."

"We also went back to where the shifters were holding the people they were posing as," Sam continued. "More sulfur there. Whoever this demon is, we're pretty sure he was behind everything that happened here like you thought."

"Fantastic!" Andy said sarcastically. "Looks like we got a demon to hunt."

"No,  _ Sam and I _ have a demon to hunt," Dean corrected. "You need to get better and keep your head down. It's  _ you _ this thing wants dead. Any ideas why?"

"Hell if I know!" Andy exclaimed. "We usually don't leave behind any loose ends when we go in."

"What about Frankie, Liam, and Stacy?" Sam asked. "Do you think they might remember something you don't?"

"It's possible," Andy said. "They were headed to Egypt following a vamp nest when I talked to them yesterday morning. Frankie is supposed to video call me today to check in. I'll get him up to speed then and find out if any of them recall any demons that got away. But, I'm not  _ keeping my head down _ ! I'm going after this son of a bitch!"

"OK," Dean said with challenge in his eyes. "If you can jump out of this bed without doubling over in pain, then we'll step aside and let you go full steam ahead."

Andy glared at the elder Winchester. They both knew she couldn't do that at the moment. "Fine," she relented, crossing her arms over her chest. "But you two keep me updated on absolutely every single thing you find!"

"We're not your peons, Andy!" Dean said, sudden ire rising in his voice. "You can't just—"

"Dean!" Sam said sternly. His brother huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Of course we will keep you updated."

In the next instant, Stiles burst angrily through the door with Lex and Terri close behind him.

"This is bullshit!" he grumbled as he dropped into a chair next to Andy's bed.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" she asked.

"Gage wants Stiles and I on the next flight back to Virginia," Terri explained. "We apparently have to go to London to take care of some things. Lex is going to stay here with you and get you home once you are discharged."

"I don't know what the hell is suddenly so important in London," Stiles griped. "Last night Gage was telling me that we needed to stay close to you."

Andy and the Winchesters shared a knowing glance. They all had a feeling they knew exactly why they were being shipped off.

* * *

"I think they're trying to kill me," Andy said dramatically, replacing the cover over her plate of hospital food and pushing the rolling tray table to the side.

"They aren't trying to kill you," Lex chuckled from a chair by her bed. "But the food here  _ is _ disgusting. Do you want me to go get you something?"

"No, I'll have Sam and Dean do it. They went to go grab food for themselves." She picked up her phone that was on the tray table and sent a quick text. "Besides, if you're going anywhere, you're going back to the house to get some real sleep and to take care of yourself."

"I told you I'm not leaving this hospital unless it's to get something for you, and then I'm coming right back."

She looked at him with a smile on her face as she placed her phone back on the table. "That's sweet, but you don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do," he said as he leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head, a smirk on his lips. "It was in the 'good boyfriend' job description when I signed on, and I take my position very seriously."

"It's nice to see someone with such dedication to the job," Andy said, chuckling at his antics.

"Oh, I'm  _ very _ dedicated," he assured her as he stood and moved to lean over her, placing his hands on either side of her shoulders against the raised hospital bed. "I'm all about that overtime and going above and beyond." He slowly brought his face closer to hers. "Late nights, early mornings, weekends." Their lips were centimeters apart now. "I'm  _ very serious _ about team building  _ exercises _ as well. I'll go all night long if needed to make sure we're  _ both _ satisfied."

An unintentional moan slipped from her when his lips met hers, and his tongue immediately sought entrance that she readily gave. Her hands found their way under his shirt where she lightly scraped her nails from his back around to his stomach.

A knock on the door had them reluctantly pulling away from each other just as a young female nurse came strolling into the room carrying items to change the bandages over Andy's stitches. Lex grumbled under his breath as he took his seat next to her bed.

"Good news Ms. Stiles!" the nurse exclaimed excitedly. "You get to go home tomorrow!"

"Seriously?!" Lex said incredulously. "She got stabbed in the liver and had to have surgery! How is she already being discharged?"

The nurse glanced at Andy, silently requesting permission to discuss the matter. 

"Go ahead," Andy told her.

The nurse smiled and began. "Your MRI shows that your internal injuries are far better off than expected. It's almost like nothing ever happened! At least on the inside."

"How is that possible?" Lex questioned. "It's not even been twenty-four hours!"

The nurse crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed a perturbed look in the hacker's direction. "You'd think you would be happy she's doing better instead of questioning it. Things happen all the time in the medical field that are unexplainable." She turned her attention back to Andy, laying her supplies on the bed and smiling at the young woman. "There are some restrictions. You still have stitches and the bruising is still extensive. The doctor wants you on moderate bed rest, at least until the stitches come out in two weeks. No lifting anything over ten pounds and no strenuous activity. The doctor has also written you a prescription for some painkillers and a round of antibiotics. Any questions?" She held her smile as she looked back and forth between Andy and Lex.

"Will she be OK to fly? Or do I need to drive her back to Virginia?" Lex asked.

"Flying shouldn't be a problem for her. Can I assume that you will be the one helping to take care of her once she leaves here?"

"Yes."

"Then I will need to show you how to properly clean her incision area and change her bandages."

"Uh, sure," Lex said and looked at Andy. "If it's OK with you."

Andy nodded and pulled her hospital gown up to just below her breasts, exposing the large bandage just below them. She pushed the blanket she had over her down to her navel. Lex stood and walked closer to the bed as the nurse began a short explanation of the items he would need. After making sure he understood, she turned to Andy and quickly pulled off the medical tape holding the gauze over her wounds.

Andy bit back a yelp, but couldn't stop the involuntary jerk of her body. The movement caused the blanket to slip down past her hips, revealing just a hint of the teal lace underwear that she wore, as well as the tattoo that was placed just inside the crease of her right hip bone. Lex was doing his best to focus on what the nurse was telling him—really he was—but that bit of bright blue-green fabric, the perfect curve of Andy's hips, and that black tattoo had his head spinning. However, his view was cut off before his brain even had a chance to register what kind of tattoo she had before Andy quickly yanked the blankets back up. He then cleared his throat and forced himself to continue watching and focusing on what the nurse was explaining to him.

"Think you got it?" the nurse asked as she pulled Andy's gown back down and looked at Lex.

"Yeah," he confirmed. 

"Good."

The nurse went on to explain how often the dressing needed to be changed and then exited the room with a promise of coming back in to check on Andy a little while later. 

The moment the woman was out the door Andy felt Lex's eyes on her. She knew he had seen the tattoo, but she wasn't sure if he had gotten a good look at it. With how things between them were going, it was inevitable that he would have eventually seen the body art, but she had hoped they would be preoccupied with other activities so he wouldn't care about asking questions. She racked her brain trying to figure out how to explain the anti possession tattoo on her hip without actually telling him what it was.

"So, was that a tattoo I saw?" Lex asked as he slid in to sit next to her on the bed.

"Uh... yeah," she said, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice.

"Can I see it?"

She hesitated a moment, but ultimately nodded her approval and pushed her gown up as she simultaneously pulled the blanket down, showing him the same view he had seen before. She watched anxiously as his head tilted slightly, and his brow furrowed a bit as he took in the black pentacle surrounded by a pinwheel of flame permanently drawn into her skin with precise lines.

It definitely wasn't the first time he'd ever seen something like this. He had read plenty of comics where the protagonist had used similar symbols to fight the entities of hell for various reasons. He had even seen some die hard fans who got tattoos of certain symbols. Though this particular one he couldn't recall ever seeing.

"Are you a comic book fan?" he asked, a small smile coming about his face.

She blinked at him a few seconds as his question processed. "What?"

"Well," he started, still gazing at the tattoo. "I've met people who are really into certain characters that have gotten tattoos to represent them. I've never seen one like that, though." He brought his eyes back to hers. "Which one is it from?"

Andy released a breath she didn't realize she was holding as she finally returned the smile he was giving her. "It's not from a comic. I do like that idea, however."

"Then what is it?"

"It's um…" she searched her brain for any explanation that would be close enough to the truth without telling him exactly what it was. "It's a symbol for protection. My whole team that I was working with overseas has the same one. It's kind of a bonding thing between us."

"Either way," Lex said as he reached over to place his hand on her hip, his gaze turning seductive as his thumb caressed over the tattoo. "It's definitely sexy."

"You think so?" she asked, suddenly breathless.

"Mmmhmm," he hummed as his head dipped to her neck, trailing the tip of his nose from the crook up to her ear. " _ You're  _ sexy," he whispered. He nipped her earlobe, smiling to himself when he heard her gasp.

"You're such a tease," Andy said playfully, her hand coming up to thread into his hair.

"You have no idea," he said, his hand sliding from her hip down her thigh and then trailing back up with just his fingertips to trace along the waistband of her panties while his mouth worked every sensitive spot on her neck. "But believe me, if I could, I would already have my head between your legs. I'm dying to taste you and hear what you sound like when you cum for me. I bet you make all kinds of pretty noises."

Andy whimpered and used her hand in his hair to pull his mouth to hers. Her tongue instantly pushed past his lips to tangle with his.

Their actions were abruptly interrupted when the same nurse from before swung the door open and hastily made her way inside.

"Ms. Stiles… OH!" 

She froze when she saw Lex and Andy quickly pull apart from one another, and the three were suddenly caught in an awkward staring contest.

"Um… uh," the nurse stuttered. "Your heart rate spiked on the monitors at the nurse's station. I see you're perfectly fine." She turned and hurriedly made her way back to the door. "Remember, no strenuous activity!" she tossed over her shoulder before she exited and closed the door.

Lex couldn't control his laughter as Andy buried her crimson tinted face into his chest and pulled the blanket back over her.

* * *

Andy sat propped up in her bed staring at the open laptop sitting on the rolling tray table over her lap. She checked the clock on the wall for what felt like the millionth time and sighed. Frankie was late checking in and she was running out of time before Lex and Sam would return. While Sam was mostly for Lex's protection in case something was waiting at the house, she had sent him back to retrieve their things and meet the men Gage had sent to pick up their equipment. Dean had stayed behind and was now anxiously pacing the room as they both waited for the video call to come through. His phone dinged in his pocket and he pulled it out to look at it then turned to Andy with an impatient glare.

"They are loading up the equipment now," he gruffed. "We don't have much time. What the hell is taking Frankie so long?"

"I don't know," she said in a monotone voice, her eyes never leaving the screen.

Dean huffed and crossed to plop down on the end of her bed. They sat in silence for a few more minutes until he couldn't handle it anymore and his head swiveled in her direction. "So, how are you and _lover_ _boy_ doing?"

Her eyes flicked up to meet his, her irritation evident. "He has a name," she bit out.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Fine, how are you and  _ Lex _ doing?"

"I'm not talking to you about that."

"Why?!"

"Because you're just going to be a dick," she said, dropping her eyes back to the computer screen.

"I'm just trying to make conversation, Andy," Dean groused. 

"Bullshit."

"Hey, if you wanna commit to a relationship with some dude that you have to hide—"

"How did you know about that?" Andy interrupted, her eyes on him again.

"Uh…" Dean's mouth fell open as he gazed at her, trying to come up with an excuse.

"Dean!" she demanded, the warning clear in her voice.

"I uh… I may have overheard you guys talking."

"You were spying on us?!" Andy exclaimed, trying not to shout. The wave of anger that had rolled through her had her quickly trying to get her emotions in check. 

"I didn't mean to," Dean said defensively. "Your brother sent me to get him so the cops could talk to him, and when I opened the door, he was getting into bed with you!"

"You watched us  _ THAT _ long?!"

Dean had never been more thankful for the odd ring of the video call coming through on Andy's computer. She narrowed her eyes at Dean, letting him know that the conversation wasn't over, and then turned to answer the call. A few seconds after she had clicked to accept, a large and muscular man appeared on the screen inside a dimly lit living room. He wore a black baseball cap over his buzzed cut sandy blonde hair, and his hazel eyes looked exhausted.

"Hey Frankie," Andy said, concern coloring her words. "You alright man?"

"Better than you," he said, a small smile appearing on his lips. "Gage said a demon tried to skewer you. Are  _ you  _ alright?"

"Ehh, takes a lot more than a knife to the liver to take me out. You know that."

Frankie laughed loudly. "That's my girl!" While Frankie was breathing out the last of his chortling, Dean had made his way to sit next to Andy on the bed. The other man's eyes widened when he saw the elder Winchester. "Well, I'll be damned. Dean Winchester! How the hell are ya, man? How's that jolly green brother of yours."

"We're both as good as we can be," Dean said with a chuckle. "He'll be so happy to know that nickname stuck."

Frankie threw him a wink with a sly smile attached before he turned his attention back to Andy. "So, Oh Fearless Leader, what do you need from us? Are we headed to the states?"

"Not quite yet," Andy replied. "But, first things first: How are you guys? How did it go with the vamp nest?"

"It took longer than we expected, but it's taken care of. Liam and Stacy are taking care of the last of the bodies now. I realized I was late contacting you and left them to it for a few."

"Good. What are your plans from here?"

"That depends on the two of you."

Andy sighed and looked to Dean, signaling him to tell the other man what they had found.

"All we really know is that it was a demon, and said demon was pulling the strings with the shifters we took out last night," Dean told him.

"Sam and Dean have been all over this hospital looking for any signs of  _ anything _ supernatural, and there is nothing," Andy added.

Frankie's brow furrowed skeptically. "A demon that doesn't stick around to make sure its target isn't actually dead? Well, that's not suspicious at all."

"Yeah, that's what we thought," Andy said. "Cas went on to Langley to ward Aiden’s, Terri’s, and Lex's apartments. Mine is already warded."

"Which really doesn't matter," Dean cut in. "Because she's coming back to the bunker with us."

"I'm sorry,  _ what _ ?!" Andy exclaimed, whipping her head in the Winchester's direction. "I never agreed to that! That subject hasn't even come up!"

"A demon tried to kill you, Andy! You'll be safer with Sam and me!"

"I'm not leaving Lex, Terri, and Aiden!"

"Oh come on, Andy! Is your new boyfriend really more important than your own life?!"

"It's not just about Lex!"

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Frankie exclaimed. "That's enough!" When both of their eyes were on him again, he focused on Andy with a mischievous smirk. "You have a boyfriend? Since when? I  _ have _ to meet the man that performed the miracle of getting you to commit."

"Not the most important thing right now, Frankie!" Andy reminded him.

"Exactly," Dean agreed. "Frankie, tell her that she needs to come back to the bunker with us."

"Sorry, Dean, but I agree that she needs to be in Langley. If you really want to help, then maybe that's where you and Sam need to be too." Frankie suddenly jerked his head to his left, listening to something Dean and Andy couldn't hear.

"Frankie?" Andy questioned.

He turned back to her with a smile on his face. "All good, just thought I heard something. But, I do need to get back to Liam and Stacy."

"Right," Andy agreed. "When you guys get wrapped up there can you look through our notes and get me the name of every demon we've encountered?"

"You got it, Fearless Leader," Frankie said. "Talk soon, and next time, you are telling me  _ everything _ about Lex."

* * *

_ Cario, Egypt _

The smile dropped from Frankie's face as he shut the laptop and stood from the small desk he had been seated at. With a look around the room he turned his baseball cap backwards on his head and gripped the machete lying beside the computer. With well trained stealth he moved about the small living room to the entryway of a hallway in the left corner of the room. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and an unmistakable awareness ignited in his blood.

He wasn't alone.

As he turned the corner, his body took on a fighter's stance with his weapon held at the ready. His eyes narrowed in on a dark figure standing ten feet away from him, wearing dark clothing and a gray fedora that covered all but the gleaming vampire fangs in his mouth.

"Looks like we missed one of you dirty fangbangers," Frankie growled.

"That you did. Maybe more than one," the vampire drawled. "But you see, now we have a mission that you and your little friends outside burning our family's bodies are going to help us with."

"Yeah, I think not."

"Oh, I was so hoping you would want to do this the hard way," the vampire said with a dark chuckle.

Frankie gripped his machete tightly in his hand as a determined grin overtook his features. "Then let's dance, shall we?"

* * *

_ Providence, Rhode Island _

Andy winced at the sound of the slamming door as Dean stormed out of her hospital room. She sighed and let herself fall back on the raised head of her bed. The argument she and Dean had had after the video call had been brutal, but she had finally gotten her point across. Langley was where she needed to be. She knew once he cooled off he would see her logic and realize they needed to make sure the others were safe.

She fidgeted uncomfortably on the bed. Her stitches itched, and the dull ache from where the blade went into her body had increased to a burning pain. Her phone ringing caught her attention and she groaned when she realized it wasn't on the tray table next to her laptop. A glance around the room revealed that the device was lying on the small couch in the far corner. How the hell had it gotten all the way over there?

With great effort, and biting her lip to keep from crying out from the pain, she pushed herself up to stand. She took a second to take a deep breath before she started to cross the room, lightly clutching her upper abdomen where her bandages were. She instantly regretted her decision when a surge of nausea rolled through her and her vision doubled. The room appeared to rock back and forth as her steps halted, and she looked around for something to grab onto.

"You  _ are _ a stubborn one."

Andy spun on her heel to face the voice coming from behind her, the action sending vertigo splashing over her and sending her to the ground flat on her ass. A yelp escaped from her lips as the pain in her abdomen sent burning shocks through her. A low chuckle, a familiar chuckle, from the other side of the room pulled her gaze and she felt the air being sucked from her lungs when the all black suit came into focus.

The demon.

He was back to finish the job.

She opened her mouth to scream for Dean, but no matter how hard she tried, no sound came out of her. Fighting against the pain, she pushed herself backward towards the couch and used the furniture to help her stand. The demon watched with amusement as she fought to get to her feet in her weak attempt to protect herself, the sound of his taunting laughter filling her ears as she finally pulled herself to her full height.

Her mouth fell open in surprise when she went to level a glare in his direction. He was gone, but she could still hear his incessant laughter filling her ears, could feel it wrapping around her like it wanted to suffocate her. The infernal noise became louder and louder until it was high pitched and ear splitting, ringing in her mind and making it spin. She sunk to her knees with her hands covering her ears, her mouth open in a silent scream.

"Andy!"

Dean's annoyed call cut through the racket like a knife and plunged her into a stomach-churning silence. She jerked her head up and stared into his agitated face. Slowly she realized she was back in her bed like she had never left it and her phone was in her hands, a small blue light in the corner of the screen blinking at her to inform her she had a missed call.

What the  _ fuck _ had just happened?

Had she imagined it all?

Was the demon ever really there?

"Andy?" Dean called again, his tone falling into the realm of concerned. "Are you alright?"

It took her a few more seconds to realize he was sitting at the foot of her bed. He wasn't on alert or showing any signs with his body language than anything was out of the ordinary.

"When did you come back in?" she asked. Her throat felt dry and scratchy, making her voice raspy.

Dean's brow furrowed in confusion. "I never left. We were arguing, your phone started ringing, you picked it up, and then spaced out on me." At the look of utter bewilderment on her face, he grew concerned again. "Do you need me to get the nurse? You don't look so good."

Andy shook her head and ran a hand down her face. "No, Dean, I'm fine. I think the painkillers are just fucking with my head."

"If you say so.” He didn't sound convinced in the slightest. "You might want to call your boyfriend back before he gets worried."

Andy looked down at her phone still in her hands and clicked on the screen. She did have a missed call from Lex. Trying to push the hallucinations from her mind, she clicked the call back icon and held her phone to her ear.

What the hell had just happened?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Bit of blood, lot of fluff
> 
> Posting an extra chapter this week in honor of WarlockWriter's birthday! Hope you have an amazing day!

_ Langley, Virginia _

It was well after ten the next night when Lex and Andy walked into her apartment. The hospital had taken forever to get her discharged and their flight had been delayed, making the day seem to go on forever. By the time they had gotten into a cab at the airport, Andy had been in so much pain that Lex had considered taking her straight back to the hospital. But, after some back and forth, she had convinced him that all she needed was to get home and into bed.

After placing their suitcases on the ivory colored plush couch in the spacious living room decorated in matching hues, Lex had helped Andy to her bedroom. While he waited for her to change inside of the ensuite bathroom, he sat on the edge of her bed looking about the room. His face scrunched in confusion at the same ivory and cream color palette that had been in the living room decorating this one. It all seemed a little too… _ boring _ ... for her.

"I didn't choose any of it."

Her voice as she emerged from the bathroom pulled his attention to her. If she hadn't of been so clearly in pain and pale, her standing in front of him in an extremely short pair of purple cotton shorts and a black, form fitting low-cut tank top would have had him melted into a puddle on the floor. However, since his concern for her was front and center at the moment, he was on his feet in an instant and crossing over to her to slip his arm around her waist.

"Lex, I'm not going to fall over," she told him as he led her to her bed.

"I'm not taking any chances," he told her as she slipped under the covers. "I need to change your bandages before you go to sleep."

"You don't have to. I can handle it," she tried to argue.

"Will you just hush and let me take care of you?" he said with a playful smirk.

She nodded with a smile on her lips and let herself rest against the pillows. He made his way out of her bedroom and back into the living room to retrieve the bag of medical supplies the nurse had packed for them from her suitcase. Lex was extremely grateful at the moment for the nurse taking the time to do this for them; he really didn't think he could’ve left Andy to go pick them up from somewhere with how weak she looked.

When he was back in her room and seated next to her on the edge of the bed, she lifted her shirt for him so he could access the bandages on her abdomen. His face immediately grew worried when he saw the dark discolored bruising peeking out from the bottom of the gauze. He tried not to react, but when he pulled off the dressing his stomach twisted. Her abdomen was covered in a severe contusion of blacks, blues, and deep purples from the wound that ran just below her sternum and half way down her torso. Her injury had been nowhere near this bad when he had seen it early that morning when he watched the nurse change her bandages. No wonder she was in so much pain.

"Andy! What the hell happened?! Did you fall?!" he exclaimed.

Andy pushed herself up onto her elbows to look down at what he was seeing and her eyes went round. "What the hell?!"

"I'm taking you to the hospital," Lex declared as he quickly stood from her bed.

Andy quickly grabbed his hand, stopping him before he could move any more. "Lex, no! I'm fine!"

"You are  _ not  _ fine, Andy! It looks like someone took a baseball bat to you!"

"I'm not going back to the hospital!" she said, dropping his hand to push herself up into a sitting position. "I wanted to claw my own eyes out in Rhode Island."

"You could have an infection!"

"I don't!"

"How do you know that?!"

"Look at me, Lex!" she exclaimed, gesturing towards her stomach with both hands. "No pus, no swelling, no red streaks anywhere, and I'm not running a fever! I'm not dizzy or nauseous, there is just a little more bruising—"

" _ A little?! _ "

"OK, a lot, but some of the medicines I'm on can cause that! I'm not going back to the hospital, Lex."

Lex crossed his arms over his chest and released a vexing breath as his gaze fixed on the ceiling. Andy knew he was about to cross the line from irritated with her stubbornness to being angry, and he was obviously making a conscious effort to choose his words wisely at the moment. The defiant side of her was screaming at her to further her point about not letting him take her to the hospital, but a small voice in the back of her head was telling her to wait for his response. This could easily turn into a fight, and the last thing she wanted was to spend what was left of the night arguing.

His attention suddenly fell back on her and she sat a little straighter, however most of the agitation that had been in his expression just a few moments prior seemed to be gone now.

"Then at least compromise with me?" he asked, his hands dropping back to his sides as he sat back down in his original position. 

"What do you have in mind?"

"I stay here tonight to keep an eye on you. I'll sleep on the couch if you want. Then you have to call the doctor in the morning and get his opinion on what to do."

"I can do that," Andy agreed. Lex nodded and, after making her lay back down, set to reapplying her bandages. She watched him as he worked, going over what he had said in her head. "Lex," she started when he had placed the final piece of medical tape. His gaze drifted up to meet hers. "I don't want you to sleep on the couch."

"You don't?" he asked, a large grin growing on his lips as he pulled her shirt back down.

"Are you gonna make me say it?" she asked, pushing herself back up to sit.

He simply bounced his eyebrows playfully at her in response.

"Fine!" she exclaimed with a giggle and an exaggerated eye roll. "I want you in here with me. I mean, if you want to."

"Of course I want to," he said, and leaned forward to capture her lips with his.

The action started with slow tenderness and slowly grew in intensity until their tongues were twisting together. She crawled over to straddle his lap and threaded her hands into his hair as he palmed her ass over her shorts. 

She rolled her hips into him and instantly regretted it when white hot pain zapped through her torso making her rip away from the kiss. She tried and failed to suppress a whimper as her forehead dropped to his shoulder and her hands fell to fist into his shirt. She felt Lex turn his head and place a kiss into her hair as he started to rub her back soothingly.

"Are you OK, babe?" he asked, clearly trying to hide how truly concerned he was.

She sighed dishearteningly and nodded into the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry."

"You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for," he quickly assured her. "Two weeks isn't that long and you're worth every second of the wait, beautiful."

"I don't feel very beautiful right now."

"Are you kidding?! I almost forgot how to breathe when you walked out of the bathroom."

She raised her head to level a disbelieving look at him.

"What?!" he said defensively. "I can't think my girlfriend is hot as hell?"

The warm smile he gave her was contagious and she didn't fight the urge to take his face between her hands and to kiss him softly. "I'm really happy you're here, Lex," she said, pressing her forehead to his.

"I'm really happy to be here."

A few minutes later, after Lex had changed into a pair of sweatpants, they were lying wrapped up together under the blankets. Her back was snug against his bare chest and his arm was draped low over her hips to avoid the injury covering most of her upper torso. She sighed in contentment as he nuzzled into her neck, feeling safe and warm in his embrace. The two soon drifted off to sleep, both feeling a sense of comfort and belonging that neither had ever experienced before.

* * *

_ Nuweiba, Egypt _

The New Delta bus station was mostly deserted at four in the morning, so moving about the back of the building near the dumpsters was an easy feat for Frankie. Knowing the need for stealth was of the utmost importance, he kept his back pressed against the wall, his eyes darting around to keep a constant watch of his surroundings. It took him longer than he wanted, but he finally made it to the corner of the building where a solitary security camera swept back and forth in its surveillance of the back area of the building. His eyes focused on the device as it made a few passes, counting the time it took to get from one side to the other.

When he was confident that he knew how much time he had to get across the cracked and broken pavement and behind the dumpster, he took a deep breath to prepare himself. The moment the camera was focused all the way to the left, he took off at a dead run to the right, counting in his head the entire time. He threw his body behind the large trash recepticle and pressed himself up against the rusty metal. Regulating his breathing, his eyes swept around him again.

Satisfied that he was still alone, he turned and dropped down to all fours, bending close to the ground to peer underneath the dumpster. His nose scrunched in disgust when he inhaled the scent of the saffron, skunk cabbage, and trillium ash mixture on his clothes. How the foul combination masked his scent he would never understand, however he couldn't deny that this wasn't the first time it had worked. He could remember a time a few years prior when he, Andy, Liam, and Stacy had all but bathed in the ash to get the jump on a nest of vampires. His stomach churned at the thought of his friends and he pushed the emotion deep down as far as he could shove it. He didn't have the privilege of thinking of that right now. Guilt and grief would only get him killed before he could get to her.

Before he could warn her.

Bringing his mind back to where it needed to be, he ran one hand on the underside of the dumpster and a quick breath of relief left him when he felt a large plastic baggie taped to the metal. 

He hadn't wanted to go through the contact that had left him the care package—he trusted the guy about as far as he could throw him. Unfortunately, beggars couldn't be choosers, and right now he didn't even have any other options to choose from anyway. Contacting Andy, Gage, or even the Winchesters was out of the question. He had no way of knowing if or how closely they were being watched and he wouldn't risk putting them in any more danger. Of course, the nest of vampires with freshly turned recruits after him didn't help matters either. 

He pulled the bag from its hiding spot and sat on his knees to open it. The contents had obviously been thrown together in a hurry, and he couldn't fault the guy for that. He hadn't given him much of a notice and the fact that he was willing to help so easily had blown Frankie away. He guessed he probably had the Winchester brothers’ influence on the guy to thank for that, even if they didn't know he was helping him now. 

The capped hyperbolic needles filled with dead man's blood were the first thing he pulled out, and he quickly hid them on various parts of his person. Next were the tiny hex bags that he promptly inserted into hidden compartments in his shoes. Once those were in their place, he retrieved the stack of passports of separate aliases, different kinds of currencies, and travel arrangements. The last thing to come out of the bag was a set of car keys with a note attached, and Frankie hastily read the rushed handwriting on the small piece of paper.

_ F, _

_ Watch your back. She will shoot me again if you get hurt. See you soon. _

_ -K _

Frankie couldn't help but chuckle as he shoved the note in his pocket. He looked through his travel arrangements, taking the time to match the right passport with the corresponding ticket. He suddenly missed the meticulous attention to detail that went into the forged IDs and paperwork he was used to. He would have to remember to thank Terri for her beautiful work when he finally got back to the States and actually met the woman that had no idea he even existed. Maybe he would just have Andy thank her.

With everything finally situated and sufficiently hid on his body, he stood and waited for the security camera to make its sweep around the area. When the device was focused opposite him he took off toward a side street. He had a few things to accomplish before he made his way to the AB Maritime Nuweiba Office and caught the ferry to Aqaba.

* * *

_ Langley, Virginia _

"He's late," Dean grumbled as he paced back and forth in an alleyway between two cinder block buildings.

Castiel and Sam shared a look from beside one another from where they were both leaning against one of the buildings.

"He's the director of the CIA, Dean," Sam reminded him. "I'm sure he's doing the best he can."

The elder Winchester simply grunted in response, not ceasing his path up and down the pavement. A tense silence fell between the trio for a few minutes as they waited for the director to make his appearance.

"Hello gentlemen," Gage said as he finally rounded the corner into the alleyway. "I'd like to say it's nice to see the three of you again, but… well, you get it."

The three turned at his voice and greeted the man that had joined them.

"Why are we meeting here?" Castiel asked after they had all shaken the director's hand.

"I thought it might be the better option considering we don't know exactly what's going on, and I can't really get to Andy at the moment."

"Do you know how she's doing?" Dean asked.

"I spoke with Lex this morning, and he seems concerned with the amount of bruising that she now has. He talked her into calling a doctor and she has an appointment this morning."

"Is it worse from when we were in Providence?" Sam asked.

"It appears that way," Gage told him.

"I wish I could have just healed her completely. She wouldn't have to deal with this," Castiel said, a slight look of guilt in his features.

"You did what you could, Castiel," Gage assured the angel. "Healing her completely would have raised questions we can't afford to be asked at the moment."

"Do you really think you are going to be able to hide this from them?" Sam asked. "We all know what Lex saw the other night, and it's probably safe to say Terri and Stiles are suspicious, too."

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "The fact that none of them are demanding answers already just baffles me."

"Well luckily when you work for the CIA, you know there are things you can't ask about. They've been ordered not to ask questions and you all know the story if they do ask," Gage said.

"That's going to bite us all in the ass," Dean said.

"We'll see," Gage remarked. "Now, I don't have much time. What have you found on this demon?"

The trio shared an annoyed look before they answered, each thinking the same thing: keeping this secret wasn't going to end well.

Dean sighed as he looked back to Gage. "We have a witch running a couple spells to see what she can come up with. But, if you can get your hands on the knife he used we might get better results."

"I'll see what I can do," Gage promised.

* * *

Andy's appointment with the CIA's doctor hadn't gone the way Lex had expected. After hours of waiting and tests they had been told that everything appeared to be normal. How the amount of black and blue bruising that was covering her torso was  _ normal _ was beyond him. He just couldn't shake the feeling that there was something they weren't seeing. She could barely walk without being in pain and her skin had only gotten more sickly looking since the night before. The exhaustion that she was trying to hide was causing him concern as well. As it was, the trip to the doctor had completely worn her out and she was currently passed out on her couch.

Lex swore under his breath as he entered Seth's coffee shop. He hadn't wanted to leave her, but she had specifically requested for him to get her one of the man's creations and he wasn't going to deny her. It was a slow point in the afternoon for the shop, so Lex had instantly caught Seth's attention when he walked in and he painted a smile on his face so the man wouldn't know how he was really feeling.

"Hey, Lex!" Seth greeted enthusiastically. "How ya doing, buddy? You want your usual?"

"Uh, no," Lex said as he walked up to the counter the other man stood behind. "Andy isn't feeling all that great and was wondering if you could make her something to give her a little energy."

Seth's face twisted in concern. "She isn't hurt is she?!" he asked quickly.

The man's question had thrown Lex and he stumbled over his words a little before answering. Why had that been his go-to question instead of simply asking if she was OK? "Um... actually." He wasn't sure exactly how to phrase what was wrong with her, so he decided vague was his best bet. "She had an accident, but she's doing a little better now. She's just tired."

Lex saw Seth debating on his words for a moment and followed his gaze as he turned his head to the left. Lex's face lit up with a smile when he recognized the tall and athletically built man with spiky chestnut brown hair sitting at a table close to the service counter. 

"Justin!" Lex exclaimed. "When did you get back to town?"

"Couple days ago," Justin said, flashing Lex a smile that made his bright green eyes twinkle.

"You guys catch up," Seth encouraged. "I'll get Andy's tea ready." He smiled and then shot his boyfriend a look that Lex couldn't quite place.

As he had suggested, Lex joined Justin at his table. "How you been?"

"Good, good," Justin responded. "So, is this Andy the girl Seth told me about that you had a date with the other night?"

"Yeah, that's her," Lex confirmed, an involuntary smile twitching up the corners of his lips that Justin didn't miss.

"Well, from the look on your face, I take it things are going well with her?" Justin took a sip from the large mug of coffee in front of him on the table. His brow raised when he saw Lex's face crease with concern. "Or not?"

"No, everything is fantastic between us," Lex assured him. "I'm just worried about her."

"Because of the accident?"

"Yeah," Lex admitted. "I don't know, I guess I'm overreacting. The doctor told us today that she is doing fine."

"But?"

Lex sighed deeply. He knew he shouldn't be having this conversation. "She's just still in so much pain and she's pale, completely exhausted. Not to mention her stomach looks like she's been beat. Yet, two different doctors say it's normal and they can't find anything that worries them."

Justin chewed his bottom lip as he studied the man sitting across from him and analyzed his words. Seth had told him everything he had learned about Andy, including that the two of them shared a very dangerous occupation. One that, after years of experience, had his instincts screaming at him from what Lex was telling him. Unfortunately, Lex had no knowledge of the things he did and he was quite certain he was as oblivious to the fact that Andy was a hunter as much as he was to him. "So, weird question," he started cautiously. "This  _ accident _ she was in… was there any puncture wounds by chance?"

Lex's eyes went round in shock. "How did you…?"

"I've uh… heard of something similar at a seminar recently," Justin said quickly, backpedaling to give his question some kind of foundation. "There was a surgeon giving a lecture on puncture wounds."

"They sent you to a surgical seminar?" Lex questioned. "I thought you only had private practice physicians on your route?"

"I'm branching out."

"When did you start that?"

"Recently," Justin responded shortly. "How's the greeting card business, Lex?"

"Uh, it's fine." Lex wasn't sure why Justin had gotten so touchy about his job, but he would take the hint to back off. "So what does a stab wound have to do with her symptoms?"

Justin thought for a moment before he spoke. "Could be a few things. If the doctors are telling you she's fine I would go with it for now. But…" he hesitated a moment. "If she gets worse, let me know and I'll ask around to some of the doctors I know to hopefully get you some answers."

Lex didn't have time to respond before Seth placed a large plastic to-go cup in front of him.

"Iced sweet green tea with raspberry, rose and moringa leaf," Seth explained with a smile. "Should perk her right up. Sure I can't get anything for you?"

"I'm sure," Lex said as he stood and took his wallet from his back pocket. He handed Seth a ten dollar bill and stuck the billfold back in his pocket. "Keep the change."

He quickly bid them both farewell and was on his way out of the shop. As the iron trimmed, glass door glided closed behind him, Seth turned his eyes to his boyfriend. "Whaddya think, honey?"

"I think I need to meet Andy, away from Lex," Justin said gravely.

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

* * *

Andy jerked awake at the sound of her phone on the nearby coffee table alerting her that she had a text message. She groaned as she reached over to grab the device. Her body ached but she was nowhere near in as much pain as she had been when Lex had brought her home from the doctor. Clicking on her phone, she saw that she had a message from Sam.

_ Dean and I have to go to North Carolina to meet with Rowena. She may have a lead. We should be back in a couple days. Cas will be around if you need him. _

Andy quickly typed out a reply.

_ Thank you. I'm sorry I'm not much help at the moment. _

She hit send and waited for a reply that came less than a minute later.

_ Don't be. You have to get better. Call you once we talk to Rowena. _

Andy laid her phone back on the table and threw an arm over her eyes. She absolutely hated feeling so useless. But the doctor had told her it was normal, though she was starting to have thoughts in the back of her mind that maybe something else was going on with her. She shook her head to clear those ideas. If there was something more than medically wrong with her, Castiel would have sensed it when he healed her internal injuries. Wouldn't he?

Despite how she was feeling, the sound of her front door opening and closing had a smile forming on her face and she pushed herself to sit up in order to greet Lex. However, the expression fell when she realized she was still alone in the room. Her eyes scanned the room and the parts of the kitchen she could see from where she sat.

"Lex?" she called. She was certain she had heard him come in.

There was no verbal response, but she heard a thump coming from her bedroom.

"Lex?!" she called again, louder this time.

When she still didn't receive a response she reached under the couch and pulled out a black Glock 42. pistol. She cocked the gun and slowly stood from her couch to quietly make her way to the bedroom, cursing the fact that the door was closed. Another thump from inside the room had her body tingling and she gripped the doorknob. With a steadying breath, she swung open the door and rushed inside with her gun held at the ready.

The contents of her and Lex's suitcases that they had yet to unpack were strewn across the room and the bag of medical supplies for her bandages had been thrown all over the bed. Her eyes quickly swept the room and when she found nothing she moved over to the bathroom. She pushed into the room gun first and did the same sweep.

Nothing was there.

She cautiously walked back into the bedroom, still not letting her gun or guard down, and was instantly grabbed by the throat and thrown against the wall. The force knocked the gun out of her hand and she growled as she stared into black eyes. The black-suited demon smiled wickedly at her as he lifted her slightly off the ground.

"Hello, Alexandria. You're a hard woman to find. I think we should finish what we started. What do you think?" he asked.

"Fuck you!" she bit out through his hold on her neck.

The demon's face twisted in fury and he threw her to the ground. The impact stole the air from her lungs and blinding pain shot through her torso. Fighting against the burn she scrambled to her feet, and after one look around the room, sunk back to her knees.

The demon was gone and the room was completely back in order. Both suitcases sat neatly and packed by her closet, and the bag of medical supplies was back on the nightstand by her bed. Her eyes quickly searched for her gun, but it was nowhere to be found.

"What the fuck?" she whispered, looking around the room again.

After going around her apartment and checking the demon warding she had discreetly placed her first night in the apartment and finding it completely intact, she went to check the couch and her Glock was still in its hiding place under the piece of furniture. She let herself sink into the cushions as her eyes continuously scanned the room. Her mind raced with questions on whether she had really just seen what she thought she saw, but the door opening and closing again slung her right back into fight mode.

She didn't hesitate to grab the gun as she shot up from her seat, swinging around and aiming at whatever had just entered her apartment.

"WHOA!" Lex exclaimed, wide eyed as he held up his hands, her tea gripped in one of them. "Andy, it's just me!"

She blinked at him a few times as her adrenaline-soaked brain started to think straight again and lowered her gun. "I'm so sorry, Lex!" 

"Where did you get the gun?" he asked, lowering his hands as he watched her place the weapon on the coffee table.

"Um… it was hidden under the couch," she said sheepishly as she sat back down. "You think I'm weird now, don't you?" she asked as he came around to join her, handing her the clear plastic cup.

"No," he said with a chuckle. "A little paranoid maybe, but that kinda comes with our jobs."

Andy held back the sarcastic laugh rising in her chest. "No kidding."

* * *

_ Aqaba, Jordan _

The ferry ride from Egypt had been grueling and when the boat had docked, Frankie made sure he was one of the first off the over-crowded vessel. He walked at a fast pace over the dock, only slowing down when he stepped on to the rocky terrain because he had to look for his next care package.

It didn't take him long to pinpoint the small office for the Arab Bridge Maritime Company and he quickly made his way into the small building. The skinny native man behind a small table rolled his eyes up from the newspaper in front of him to Frankie as he entered, his brow furrowing at the American that looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"Marhabaan hal tatahadath alanjlyzia?" Frankie asked, wincing at his own obvious difficulty with the foreign language.

"Yes, I speak English," the man told him. "What can I do for you?"

"I should have a package waiting on me here," Frankie said, immensely relieved he wouldn't have to speak another language.

"Name?"

"Carl Spence," Frankie said as he fished into the backpack he had been carrying for the right passport. He handed it to the man who, after glancing at it, turned to pick up a medium-sized cardboard box that looked like it had been used as a puck in a hockey game. Frankie grimaced as he accepted the package. "Thank you, sir."

Frankie took up a fast stride heading for a set of buildings that were out of the way of the rest of the crowd and slipped between them. Hidden from any prying eyes he ripped open his package and pulled out the large plastic zipper bag of saffron, skunk cabbage, and trillium ash with a small note attached. He wrinkled his nose at the thought of rubbing the foul substance all over himself again. He plucked the small piece of paper and groaned as he read the words.

_ F,  _

_ There are eight of them. _

_ -K _

Frankie shoved the note in his pocket and began rubbing the ash into his clothing. At least now he knew for sure how many vampires were hunting him.

The multiple trains he had to take to Aleppo were going to be a pain in his ass.

* * *

_ Langley, Virginia _

Andy anxiously followed Castiel through her apartment as he used his angelic abilities to check every nook and cranny. His stoic expression as he moved from room to room and corner to corner had her on edge and fighting a battle within herself on whether she wanted him to find anything or not. Whatever had happened earlier that day had shaken her to her core, and she had called the seraph the moment she was able to slip away for a second to do so. He had wanted to come that instant, but she had convinced him to wait until she could get Lex out of the apartment.

When dinner time had rolled around and Lex suggested he go grab them something, she jumped at the opportunity. She had been on the phone with Castiel as soon as he had walked out the door and a few minutes later the angel had shown up. He had asked her to repeat what she had seen in the hospital and that morning, then went about using his grace to feel out the space. After what felt like hours to Andy, they were standing back in the middle of her living room.

"There have been no demonic forces here, Andy," Castiel told her confidently. "As far as I can tell, the only non-human thing that has been here since you moved in is me."

"Then what the hell happened, Cas?"

"I don't know, but," he raised his hand as he walked toward her, hovering just over the side of her head, "I can check you if you like."

She nodded her consent and closed her eyes when his hand came in contact with her head. A sharp breath filled her lungs when she felt the hot, tingling sensation of his grace working it's way through her mind and body. After a few moments he pulled away and she opened her eyes to see him staring at her stomach.

"Cas, what is it?" she asked, her voice full of trepidation.

His eyes flicked up to meet hers and he sighed. "There is nothing that I can find that would cause your hallucinations aside from the sheer amount of pain you are in. Andy, please, let me heal you."

"Cas, no!" she said as she walked around to sit on her couch.

"Why?" Castiel asked as he sat beside her.

"You know why! What am I supposed to tell Lex tonight when he insists on changing my bandages and he sees I don't even have a scar? How do I explain that?!"

"You could tell him the truth."

Andy groaned as she let herself lean back into the cushions. "You know I can't do that. Gage's orders—"

"Screw Gage's orders!" Castiel exclaimed. "He's a good man, and I know he has even better intentions, but he's just ignorant if he thinks it's a good idea to hide the truth from Lex, Terri, and Stiles with demons sniffing around. It's only a matter of time before one of them sees something that can't be explained away. Lex already  _ did _ see something, and he is eventually going to start wondering about it if he hasn't already!"

"Cas—"

"He deserves to know who he's entered into a relationship with, Andy!"

Andy blinked at him in surprise for a moment before she realized where he had found that piece of information. "I take it Dean has been bitching about that?"

"Dean is worried."

"No, Dean is jealous."

"Maybe," the angel admitted. "But, he's worried too. Lex can't defend himself or you if he doesn't know what he's up against, and right now you couldn't fight a human, much less a demon hell-bent on killing you."

Andy sighed regretfully, her eyes drifting up to the ceiling. "I just can't tell him, Cas. I don't want to be the reason his view of the world changes, and I… I don't want to change how he looks at me. I can't even put into words how it feels when we are together. I just know that it's… I don't want to lose it, and I know it's selfish, but—"

"It isn't selfish," Castiel interrupted. "Everyone deserves some happiness. But Andy, if he can't accept you for every part of you, including the dark parts, then he doesn't deserve you."

"My dark parts are pretty dark."

"But the good parts are pretty amazing."

Andy smiled as she brought her gaze back to meet his. "Thanks, Cas."

"Just think about it, Andy."

"I will."

Castiel pursed his lips, readying himself to say his next sentence. "Will you let me heal you just enough to take some of the pain away, please?"

Andy sighed as she nodded and turned her body to rest her back against the arm rest. "Prepare yourself," she warned as she lifted her shirt and pulled the bandages off of her torso. Castiel stared slack-jawed at the contusions covering the area. "I know, it's bad."

Castiel shot her a concerned glare before he placed his hand on her stomach. As the white light of his grace emitted from his palm into her, she closed her eyes. When the lights faded, her eyes opened and she looked down at herself. More than half of the bruising had dissipated, and what was left had the greens and yellows that signified the blood vessels inside of her were healing.

"Uh… what's going on?"

Castiel jerked his hand away from Andy and they both whipped their heads around in the direction of the voice. Lex was standing just inside the doorway holding a pizza box and looking back and forth between the two of them suspiciously. Andy quickly looked to Castiel for help in explaining themselves and frowned. Clearly the wide eyed angel with his mouth hanging open wasn't going to be much help. With a roll of her eyes she pulled her shirt down and stood from the couch.

"Cas came by to check on me and he wanted to see how bad my wounds were. So, I showed him," Andy explained. She felt relief wash over her when she saw Lex's expression soften.

"Oh," Lex said, shaking his head. "Sorry, I thought... Nevermind." He turned his attention to Castiel and shut the door. "When did you get to town, Cas? Sam and Dean here, too?"

"We all got here last night," Castiel answered as he watched Lex cross the room and place the pizza box on the small square dining room table off to the corner of the kitchen. "We've just been tied up. But when Gage mentioned that Andy had gone to the doctor this morning, we made time for one of us to come see her. It actually looks a lot better than I was expecting."

Andy shot the angel a heated glare, which he returned with a smile.

Lex's brow furrowed as he moved closer to them. "Exactly what were you expecting? Because when I saw it at the doctor's office it was still pretty bad."

"Show him, Andy," Castiel encouraged, ignoring the daggers her eyes were throwing at him.

Andy reluctantly turned back to an expectant Lex, who was now standing beside her. She was going to punch the angel next time they were alone. With a sigh, she lifted her shirt to reveal the nearly healed bruises on her abdomen. 

Andy watched as Lex's face contorted in confusion. His brows knitted so tightly together they were almost one and his mouth formed words to questions he couldn't seem to enunciate. His uncertain gaze trailed up to hers and she felt her stomach twist into knots. She could see the questions in his eyes and the debate he was having with himself on whether he should ask them.

Lex couldn't believe what he was seeing, yet here it was right in front of him. Andy seemed to have healed what should have taken weeks in a matter of hours. And this wasn't the first time. It had happened before in the hospital right after… His eyes flicked over to Castiel. He studied the man standing next to his girlfriend closely, something about the sleeves of that trench coat he wore pricked at something in the back of Lex's brain. He knew he should question every single part of this situation, but really, what kind of an ass gets upset over his girlfriend healing from something that was causing her so much pain? His gaze fell back to her and he felt his suspicion being pushed to the side by the relief that was setting in. The color had returned to her skin, her eyes were brighter, and for the first time since her surgery she didn't look utterly exhausted. Except for the anxious look on her face, she looked exceptionally healthier than she had been even before he left to get their dinner. He smiled warmly at her and he saw the apprehension drain from her face as she returned the sentiment.

"This is fantastic," he told her and placed a quick kiss on her lips. "But we should probably still keep those stitches covered."

"Uh… yeah," she agreed

"I'll go get your bandages and stuff." He turned to Castiel. "Are you gonna be hanging out?"

The angel leveled a stern look at Andy before he returned his attention to Lex. "No, I just wanted to drop in and check on Andy. I really should be going." He turned back to Andy. "Call me if you need me, and... really think about what we talked about."

She nodded her agreement and without another word, the seraph was out the door.

* * *

Andy woke the next morning with Lex's arms wrapped around her and his chest pressed against her back. A sleepy smile fell upon her face as she snuggled closer to him and draped her arm over one of his. He stirred at the action and hummed happily as he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck.

"Good morning, Beautiful," he murmured into her skin. "I like waking up with you in my arms."

"Hmm, I  _ guess _ waking up in your arms is OK," she said playfully with a small chuckle.

"Well," he responded, brushing his lips up her neck to her ear and making her shiver. "If you didn't have certain restrictions I could make waking up in my arms a little more interesting." He took her earlobe in between his lips and suckled gently.

She gasped, the small act sending a shock straight down to her core. Turning in his arms, she crushed her lips to his. Her arm snaked around his bare torso and her hands slid down to grip the waistband of his sleep pants, tugging him closer. He broke the kiss, panting, and pressed his forehead to hers.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I don't wanna hurt you."

"Need you, Lex," she breathed and captured his lips with hers.

He returned her kiss with fervor as his hand trailed down to her thigh, hoisting her leg up to hook it around his hip. With his fingers gripping her waist, he rolled her to her back. She hastily broke their kiss, hissing in pain the moment the pressure of his weight hit her abdomen, and he instantly jerked away.

"Andy! Baby, I'm so sorry!" Lex exclaimed, his voice full of remorse and worry. "Are you OK?!"

"I'm fine, babe," she assured him, breathing through the pain as she lightly clutched where her wound was with one hand. She looked up at him sitting up and leaning over her. Guilt washed over her at the almost terrified look in his eyes and she reached up to place her hand on the side of his face. "Lex, Sweetheart, I promise, I'm OK. You weren't doing anything that I didn't want you to do."

He nodded, still not looking convinced, and turned his head to place a kiss to the palm of her hand. "Still sorry," he mumbled as his eyes met hers, and he laid down on his side next to her.

"You're not going to touch me again until the doctor gives the all clear, are you?" she asked, her disappointment clear.

Lex smiled and leaned forward to press a sweet kiss to her lips. "I can't not kiss or hold you, but I won't risk hurting you again."

She nodded reluctantly, however her phone ringing on the bedside table stopped any response she had. She reached over to grab the device and turned it to where she could see the name on the screen.

"Seth?" Lex questioned. "When did you two exchange numbers?"

She just winked at him as she accepted the call and held the device to her ear. "Hey, Seth!"

"Hey!" Seth greeted cheerily. "Just wanted to call and check on you. Lex mentioned you weren't feeling well yesterday."

"Aww! That's sweet!" Andy said. "I'm actually doing a lot better than I was."

"Fantastic! Are you up for some company? I put together some teas for you, and Justin was wanting to meet Lex's new girlfriend. You are at girlfriend status now, right? You two still aren't trying to tell people you're just friends? Cos if so, I'm gonna have to have some serious words with Lex."

"No, we made it official," Andy informed him with a laugh. She turned to Lex before she answered his other question. "Seth and Justin want to come by." Lex smiled and nodded. "We'd love for you guys to come over," she said to Seth. "I'm in the same complex as Lex. Fifth floor, apartment 512."

"Great! We're leaving the shop—Wait,  _ we _ ?"

"Um, yeah, Lex is here."

"Why isn't he at work?"

"He insisted on taking a couple days off to help take care of me. He goes back tomorrow."

"Aww!" Seth cooed. "That's so sweet! Well, we'll see you both in a few. We're walking out of the shop now."

"OK, see you soon!" Andy disconnected the call and laid the phone back in its original position.

"Well," Lex started as he got out of bed and went to grab his shirt hanging on the closet door. "I guess I should put together some kind of breakfast for the four of us."

"Wait! You cook, too?!" Andy said in astonishment as she watched him pull on his shirt.

Lex chuckled as he walked towards the door. "It's probably just gonna be bacon and eggs, babe. I'm not some Chef Ramsey or anything."

"Still!" Andy insisted. "You're spoiling me! I'm never gonna want you to leave me." Her mouth clamped shut and her eyes widened when she realized what she had said.

Lex paused with his hand on the doorknob and turned to her with a satisfied smirk on his lips. "Isn't the goal to make you fall head over heels for me?"

"You better catch me if I do," she told him without thinking.

An involuntary grin took over Andy's face as Lex winked at her and exited the bedroom.

* * *

"Damn, Lex!" Justin said as he leaned back in one of the four wooden chairs around Andy's dining room table. "That was awesome! You didn't have to cook breakfast for us, though."

Like Lex had said, he had thrown together a quick breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs. After introductions for Andy and Justin, who had hit it off instantly, the four had eaten and chatted happily throughout the meal.

Lex chuckled as he collected the now empty plates on the table. "I swear you and Andy act like you've never had anyone cook for you, and I know for a fact that Seth does it for you, Justin."

"Hey," Justin said earnestly, "when you're on the road as much as I am, home-cooked anything is almost better than sex!"

"I take offense to that comment," Seth interjected flatly.

"Aww! Baby!" Justin cooed as he leaned over and kissed Seth on the cheek. "I said almost! Plus, you know what I'm talking about. How much hell did you give me that one time when you found out I lived off of beef jerky and energy drinks for a week?"

"You think that's bad," Andy chimed in. "My friends and I once had to live off of Mongolian Boodog for a few days."

"Oh, shit!" Lex said, trying not to gag as he put their plates in the sink. "Please tell me it was at least the goat version!"

Andy laughed as Lex took his seat beside her. "It was."

"I'm almost afraid to ask," Seth started cautiously. "But, what the hell is Mongolian Boodog?"

"It's basically a goat or marmot cooked by splitting open the stomach and shoving hot stones inside," Andy explained.

Seth and Justin both had looks of disgusted horror on their faces.

"Well on that note," Justin said, turning his attention to Lex. "Did you ever get those parts in for your bike?"

"Yeah, I did," Lex said. "Installed them last week. You wanna take a look?"

"Dude, you know I do!"

"Let me get changed and we'll head down there."

A few minutes later, Lex and Justin kissed their significant others and headed out the door, deep in conversation about Lex's motorcycle. 

"Boys and their toys," Seth said with a smile as he took a seat on one end of Andy's couch after the two men had left.

"Whatever makes them happy," Andy commented as she sat at the opposite end of the couch.

"So," Seth started as he turned to lean his back against the armrest so he could focus on the girl across from him. "You wanna tell me the real reason Lex took time off of work to take care of you?"

Andy laughed as she mirrored his position. "I had a feeling you two stopping by wasn't just a social call."

A seriousness fell over the man as he spoke next. "We were worried about you. Lex told us you had an  _ accident _ and the things he described on how you were looking and feeling raised some red flags for us. But, you seem to be doing fine now."

"Well, I have an angel to thank for that. He couldn't really heal me all the way because we had no way to explain about me suddenly being wound-free to Lex."

"An angel?!" Seth half-shouted. "Like, an actual angel?! How did you manage to find one that's not a complete dick?!"

"Cas isn't like other angels," Andy said with a chuckle.

"Cas?" Andy could see the wheels in Seth's head turning. "That wouldn't be short for Castiel would it?"

"Yeah, actually."

"The angel that hangs around those Winchester brothers?"

"Yeah, they're friends of mine. You've heard of them?"

"Justin has mostly. He's told me the stories, though. Those boys have been through some crazy shit."

"You don't know the half of it," Andy said with a chuckle.

"So, were they there when you got hurt?"

Andy chewed her bottom lip as she debated telling him what had happened. Telling him everything would expose that Lex worked for the CIA. "Seth, I really don't know how much of this I should tell you.

"If it helps," Seth said. "We know that Lex works for the CIA. We just go along with the greeting card cover because… well, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

"How do you know that?!" Andy asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"I told you, I research like a boss," Seth said confidently with a wink. "Justin and I like to know who the people are that we let into our lives. It's a safety precaution."

"Did you research me?"

"Tried," Seth admitted. "Your ‘history’ seems to stop about six years ago. I'm guessing that's when you became a hunter. Gotta say, it's pretty rare for a Major in the Army to drop everything to start this life. What happened to cause it must have been pretty bad."

Andy rubbed the back of her neck with her hand as she averted her gaze. "Yeah, it was. Not something I really like to talk about."

"Then let's talk about what happened to you almost a week ago."

* * *

"So, what do you think of Andy?" Lex asked as he and Justin walked into the parking garage to the apartment complex.

"I like her," Justin replied without hesitation. "I think she's good for you. Definitely much better than the crazies you normally go for. Totally proud of you for  _ finally _ learning not to stick your dick in crazy, by the way."

"Hey! My track record isn't  _ that  _ bad!"

"Oh, Lex," Justin said with exaggerated sympathy as he threw his arm around the other man's shoulders. "You see, my friend, you have what they call selective memory. You choose to forget how bad most of them were." Justin couldn't fight his smile when Lex rolled his eyes. "That's why you have me," he said while making a flourishing gesture towards himself. "To remind you of these things."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, man," Lex said, trying to sound annoyed, however the smile on his face said otherwise. "I remember the ones that taught me a lesson."

"Like batshit crazy Olivia?"

"That's definitely one of them."

"I couldn't stand that bitch from the start," Justin said, dropping his arm from Lex's shoulders. "I don't care how good the sex is, it's never worth dealing with the shit she put you through, even before she went straight up psychopath."

"Ehh, the sex really wasn't all that good to start with."

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me. I bet it's fucking awesome with Andy, though! Isn't it?" Justin asked while nudging Lex in the arm with his elbow.

"We actually haven't had sex yet."

"What?!" Justin exclaimed, stopping in his tracks and moving to stand in front of Lex, halting his steps as well. "You haven't had sex with her and you're already this gone on her?!"

"What do you mean  _ gone on her _ ?" Lex asked, raising a speculative eyebrow.

"Dude! Come on! You look at her like she hung the damn stars. You both look at each other like that actually. You got this perma-grin on your face when you’re around her." The grin in question spread across Lex's face. " _ And _ when you think about her."

"I don't know what it is about her. I've never been able to connect with someone like this before. I'm ecstatic when I'm with her—I can't get her out of my head when I'm away from her. Not to mention how  _ unbelievably _ gorgeous she is."

"Why, Lex," Justin said, crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded his friend with a smile. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're in love with this girl."

"Don't you think it's a little early for that?" Lex asked as he sidestepped the man in front of him and continued on his path.

"Not at all," Justin insisted as he caught up to him. "I knew I was in love with Seth the first time he smiled at me." Lex glanced over and Justin continued. "I walked into that coffee shop and damn near hyperventilated when I saw him behind the counter. When he saw me and gave me that huge, toothy smile that made the corners of his eyes crinkle just a little bit, dude I forgot how to talk. He asked me for my order and I was just 'Uhhhhhh.' Why the hell he gave me a second thought after that I'll never know. But, my point is: When it happens it happens, and there isn't anything you can do about it."

"Maybe."

"You took time off of work to take care of her, Lex!" Justin exclaimed. "You don't even do that for yourself!"

"She needed help! She had just had surgery and her brother is out of the country!"

"Wait! She had surgery?!" Justin's tone was suddenly concerned. "You said she had an accident but you didn't mention that!"

"Yeah, it was a little more than an accident," Lex admitted, missing the narrowing of his friend’s eyes as he started taking note of every word he said. "The police think it was an attempted mugging, but when the guy realized she didn't have anything on her, he stabbed her. The blade lacerated her liver. They had to do emergency surgery to repair it."

"Not that I'm not grateful she's OK," Justin started cautiously, “but how is she even out of the hospital? The way you described her yesterday, she wasn't doing so hot. She looked fine today."

"I'm trying not to over-think that."

"Why?"

Lex sighed as he stared ahead of him. "It's weird, Justin. She was in the hospital less than twenty-four hours when they told us the MRI she had after the surgery showed that her liver had healed to the point that it looked like nothing ever happened. I get her home, go to change her bandages, and it looked like someone had beaten her stomach with a baseball bat. I swear it still looked like that at the doctor's office the next day. When I left to go get dinner, she’s pale, exhausted, and in so much pain she could hardly walk. I get back, her friend is there, and suddenly the color is back in her face. She had her energy back, didn’t appear to be in half the pain she was in before I left, and when I saw the bruises on her stomach… Man, they were almost gone. How does any of that happen?"

"What friend?"

"His name is Cas. Why does that matter?

"What does he look like?"

Lex's face screwed in confusion. "What? Why does that—"

"Just humor me, Lex."

"Tall, black hair, blue eyes, wears this tan trench coat all the time. I don't see how this makes a bit of difference," he responded in exasperation.

Justin chuckled as a knowing grin spread across his lips. "It doesn't. Just... curious."

"About what exactly?"

"Nothing," Justin assured him, throwing his arm around his friend’s shoulders again. "Sounds like your girl’s got an angel on her shoulder. I admit, it's a little weird how she improved so fast. But, you really shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Just be happy she's doing so well."

"Yeah," Lex said sarcastically. "Because angels exist."

Justin laughed loudly at his friend's sardonic statement. "Ya never know what's out there, Lex. You should remember that."

* * *

Andy sat anxiously at the end of the couch watching Seth as he worked through the lengthy story she had just told him. She had started with why she had come to Langley in the first place, then went into the shifter issue, and ended with how she got stabbed by the demon outside the house that she, Lex, Stiles, and Terri had stayed at in Providence. He had been quiet the entire time, taking in every new detail with ever growing wide eyes. 

"Say something, Seth," she pleaded.

"Give me a second, I'm processing," he said, holding up his hands. He then released a breath as he lowered them. "OK, first things first I guess. You lead a secret government monster-killing task force that has been overseas for the better part of five years, except for a short stint about three years ago." Andy nodded and he continued. "The director of the freaking CIA, who just so happens to run said task force—"

"He doesn't really run it. He just kinda makes sure we aren't considered AWOL and gets us supplies when we need them."

"Right… And he calls you and the Winchesters and tells you he needs you here because of the shifters in Rhode Island. You take care of that, and Lex sees it?"

Andy sighed heavily. "He didn't see a lot. He obviously saw the retina flares from the sons of bitches, and he saw Cas fry one of them. But Gage was watching the same feed he was and all he saw was a pair of hands and a hint of sleeves."

"And the light show that comes with that."

"Yeah," Andy confirmed with guilt dripping from her voice.

"How is he not tripping the fuck out?!"

"A lot happened right after. The governor's house exploding from a supposed gas leak—"

"Which was really Dean and Cas following Gage's directions."

"Yes," Andy said. "Gage ordered Lex not to ask questions and he gave me some bogus story to tell him if he did. I guess he was so grateful to see me after he found out about the explosion those questions got pushed to the side, which I feel absolutely horrible about. I've spent the last six years lying to damn near everyone in my life about what I do and have never had a problem with it. But, with Lex, I feel absolutely horrible. And I've had to keep lying to him about how I'm miraculously healing. I hate it."

"You could just tell him the truth," Seth suggested. "I know I said I didn't think he could handle knowing about this stuff, but with a demon after you, he might need to know."

"I have very strict and specific orders to  _ not _ tell him, Aiden, or Terri about what's really going on. Gage even sent my brother and Terri to London to keep them out of it for now."

"How the fuck does he expect to keep them blind when they are pretty much right in the middle of it?!" 

"I don't know," Andy groaned as she rested her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands.

"Has Lex directly asked you anything about what's going on?" Seth asked.

"No, and to be completely honest, I don't think I could lie to him if he did. Orders or not."

Seth could see the guilt weighing his new friend down and his heart went out to her. He moved to sit beside her, taking her hands from her face and holding them in his. "Listen, Andy. I can't say I know what you're going through, because I've never been in this position. But, I have been in Lex's. The two of you look at each other the way Justin and I did all those years ago and the way we still look at each other now. He's going to freak right the hell out, but I believe he cares about you enough to try and understand. It's better he hears it from you than him finding out when some monster attacks."

"Thanks, Seth," she said, squeezing his hands. "I guess I'll try to figure out how to tell him."

"Good," Seth said, a little more pep in his tone. "Now, about this demon. What do we know about him? Do you have any idea how lucky you are that he just stabbed you and left?!"

Andy sighed as she averted her gaze. "I'm not sure that's all he did."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure," she sighed. "Cas said he didn't sense anything that could be causing it, but I've had a couple hallucinations."

"What kind of hallucinations?" Seth asked, concern back in his tone.

Andy took a deep breath and told him how the first one had happened in the hospital and what it entailed. About how the pain and the demon's laughter had had her on her knees on the floor only to come to and realize that not only had she never left her bed, but Dean had never left the room and had appeared to not have seen anything. Seth became even more unsettled when she spoke of the second hallucination that had been more physical and actually put her in another room.

"Cas checked the whole apartment and myself. He couldn't find any trace of demonic energy either." Andy finished.

Seth scrubbed his hands down his face as he leaned back into the couch. "Have you seen anything since he healed you?"

"No."

"What kind of blade did this bastard use?"

"I don't know," Andy admitted. "Sam and Dean are working on finding out. Do you think I need to worry?"

"I'm not sure," Seth admitted. "This is Justin's expertise, not mine. We had planned on talking to you together, but we had to improvise when we found out Lex was here. I'll talk to him when we leave. I'm sure he will want to do some precautionary stuff just to be on the safe side. He's really good with healing spells and potions and counter curses. It will probably be tomorrow morning before anything is ready."

"That works. Lex goes back to work in the morning."

"Then call me when you wake up and we will be over," Seth stated. "But if anything happens between now and then, don't hesitate to call us. Our apartment is above the coffee shop so we can be here in minutes."

"Thanks, Seth," Andy said appreciatively.

"That's what friends are for," Seth said as he pulled her into a tight hug. "We're gonna figure out what's going on. I promise."

* * *

Seth and Justin had stayed long enough for the two couples to have lunch together and then they had to return to their coffee shop to relieve their employees. Shortly after, Lex and Andy had found themselves cuddled together on the couch, and spent the rest of the day watching movies that neither paid attention to. Between dozing off together for periods of time, long talks about this or that, and make out sessions that took every bit of their willpower to stop before things got  _ too _ heated, neither could care less about what was on the TV.

It was around five in the afternoon when Andy was seated across Lex's lap, his arms wrapped around her waist and hers around his neck with her fingers carding through his hair. He was kissing her long, slow, and deep, their tongues caressing and exploring the other's mouth. However, the growling of their stomachs had them both breaking the display of affection as they each fell into laughter.

"Talk about a mood killer," Andy joked.

"Yeah, I guess we should eat," Lex suggested, a smile still lingering on his lips. "I'll go run and get us something." 

"You don't have to do that. I'm sure we can find something here."

"Not so much. I used the last of the eggs this morning and there isn't much in your fridge. We seriously need to do a grocery run for this place."

"Yeah," Andy agreed. "I appreciate the hell out of Gage for furnishing this place as much as he did, but he didn't get too much in the food category. Of course, he wasn't really anticipating me recovering from surgery."

"Gage furnished your apartment?"

"Yeah, my team and I moved around so much and for so long, all any of us really had were clothes."

"That explains a lot," Lex said as he looked around the apartment. "I knew this whole white and beige color scheme was too boring for you."

"Yeah, I would definitely have more color," Andy said with a laugh.

A few minutes later, after several more lingering kisses on the couch and at the door, Lex was gone to go retrieve their dinner for the evening. Andy busied herself with finally unpacking her suitcase and taking a shower. It wasn't until she was done drying her hair with a blow dryer that she realized it had been over an hour since Lex had left. Just as she was starting to get worried, she heard her phone sound with a text notification in the living room. She quickly made her way to it and upon lighting up the screen she found a message from Lex.

_ I forgot to grab the key when I left. Will you open the door, please? _

She grinned as she laid the device back down onto the coffee table and went to open the door. Her brow furrowed in confusion when Lex wasn't standing there. Seconds later, something on the ground caught her eye and she looked down. Her smile found its way back onto her lips when she saw the gorgeous bouquet of a dozen, beautifully bloomed stargazer lilies with dark purple irises placed throughout the arrangement. The flowers had been placed inside a frosted purple glass vase and a small plastic card holder stuck up from the middle with a small piece of folded violet card stock nestled into the prongs with the words " _ to the most beautiful girl in the world _ " handwritten across the thick paper. She carefully picked the vase up and shut the door as she pulled the card from its holder and unfolded it to find a short note written inside in the same script.

_ Meet me at my place, Beautiful. _

_ -Lex _

She couldn't wipe away the smile on her face even if she wanted to as she placed the flowers on her kitchen table. Quickly, she turned to make her way back to the door, but stopped cold when her hand was on the doorknob. She looked down at the baby blue t-shirt and black cotton shorts she had put on after her shower and cringed. She wasn't exactly sure what Lex had planned, but she was certain she didn't want to show up to it in something she was going to be sleeping in later. Hastily going through her options in her mind, she made her way back to her bedroom to change clothes.

When she stood in the hallway outside of Lex's door twenty minutes later, Andy suddenly found herself in a bundle of nervousness. She fidgeted with the dress she wore with one hand, her other clutching her phone and keys tightly, and made sure her hair was smoothed down one more time to try and calm herself. Then, with a deep breath, she knocked on the door. It took him a few seconds, but when he opened the door, Andy felt all the air leave her lungs. She was very glad she had decided to change clothes.

He had changed into a pair of dark wash blue jeans and a dark chocolate brown button up shirt. The top two buttons were undone and the color perfectly emphasized his mesmerizing eyes, making them seem like pools of molten gold with wisps of swirling amber that bled into the dark limbal rings around his irises. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his toned forearms, and the smile that lit up his face and showcased the dimples in his cheeks that made her melt was positively smoldering.

Lex's breath hitched in his throat as his eyes drank in the sight of the beautiful girl before him. The simple navy blue, off the shoulder sundress with a flowing skirt cut just above mid thigh that she wore hugged her curves, showing off her tantalizing figure. She had applied a little make-up, and the dark eyeliner matched with the mocha eyeshadow made her sparkling azure blue eyes almost glow with their intensity. A small, shy smile tugged at the corners of her lips and he found himself scrambling to force his brain to come up with words.

"You look stunning, babe," he finally managed to say as he stood aside to let her in.

"You look pretty good there yourself, handsome," she told him as she walked in and he shut the door.

Lex's apartment was similar to Andy's with how the front door opened into the living room, where a matching black leather sofa and loveseat sat around a glass coffee table with black metal legs, and a large flat screen TV hung on the wall across from the sofa. Further down, the living room led into the dining area next to the kitchen that was separated from the living room by a bar counter.

However, Lex's apartment was a two bedroom with an open door close to the left of the entrance that led into the master bedroom. Further down the same wall was a set of dark wooden closet doors that Andy assumed held a washer and dryer. On the other side of the room on either side of the TV were two more doors, both closed, which housed the second bedroom and a bathroom.

The lights in the apartment were down low with candles burning on the coffee table, the bar of the kitchen, and on the small, round glass table in the dining area. Soft, romantic music drifted from speakers hung high in the four corners of the room.

As soon as the door was latched closed, Lex was turning to Andy and drawing her into his arms. Their lips met, instantly finding their rhythm, and he kissed her until they had no choice but to pull away in order to breathe.

"So what is all this?" Andy asked as she pulled away to walk further into the room.

"This," he said, gesturing to the room when she turned to him. "Is the staging area."

"Staging area? For what?"

"Our second date," he replied, moving closer to her. He took her keys and phone from her with one hand and held out his other to her. "Now, take my hand and close your eyes." She raised a skeptical brow at him and he rolled his eyes playfully. "Trust me," he encouraged.

She slipped her hand into his, and she closed her eyes as his fingers curled around it. With a large grin on his face, Lex led her around the couches and to the door to the left of the TV, stopping briefly to lay her belongings on his coffee table. She heard it open and she let him pull her inside. When she heard the door close behind them, her brow furrowed in contemplation, wondering what he was up to.

"You can open your eyes now," he said as he released her hand and took a step behind her.

Andy gasped with her hands covering her mouth as she took in the space around her. He obviously used the room as an office, his computer, desk and other office equipment set up in one corner. However, he had managed to completely transform the room. More speakers hanging in the far corners spilled the same soft music from the living room into the space, continuing the romantic ambiance.The lights were off, but there was a soft glow illuminating everything from a projector set up on the desk casting a breathtaking view of the northern lights onto the ceiling and bleeding into the walls. Multiple hues of pinks, greens, and golds swirled above their heads against a backdrop of twinkling stars.

There was a small round table covered by a crimson tablecloth set up in the middle of the room. The surface was adorned with plates of chicken alfredo pasta, a small wicker basket of bread sticks, two tall wine glasses, and a bottle of Chardonnay. It was all brought together by a centerpiece of stargazer lily blooms surrounding a single taper candle. 

In the corner opposite the projector, Lex had set up an area on the carpeted floor with fluffy blankets and pillows. Beside the pallet he had placed a coffee table, covered with another dark red tablecloth. A small rose colored glass serving platter was placed in the center of its surface filled with chocolate covered strawberries and cherry cheesecake tarts. To the right of the dessert dish were two wine glasses next to a bottle of pink Moscato, and strategically placed over the whole table were more of his chosen flowers.

"Lex!" she whispered.

"Do you like it?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

She turned in his arms, taking his face between her hands. "Lex, I love it! It's perfect!" She kissed him deeply. "How did you manage to pull all this off in a little over an hour?"

"I may have had just a  _ little _ help," he admitted. "I arranged for the food and the flowers to be delivered to Seth and Justin's while Justin and I were in the parking garage earlier. Then when I left your apartment, they met me here with all of it. On their way out, they dropped off the flowers at your door for me. I had just finished setting everything up in here when you knocked on the door."

"You orchestrated all this just for me?" she asked, truly touched by the effort he had put into the evening.

"Of course I did. I told you, the goal is to make you fall for me."

She pressed a sweet kiss to his lips and said, "You're too good for me, Lex."

"Nonsense," he assured her with a smile. Pulling away from their embrace, he took her by the hand. "Now come on, dinner is starting to get cold."

Time and the rest of the world seemed to just melt away as they got lost in each other, the conversation and laughter flowing naturally through dinner. The mood continued as they moved to the pillows and blankets on the floor for their dessert. With most of the bottle of wine and half of the platter of treats consumed, Lex leaned back against the pillows and his arms wound loosely around Andy's midsection while she sat between his legs with her back against his chest and her head resting back onto his shoulder. They both watched the swirling colors above their heads, both happily content with the other's company and close proximity.

"I've always loved the northern lights," Lex said.

"Have you ever seen them in real life?"

"Once," he said as a memory caused a smile on his lips. "Terri, Stiles, and I were in Finland a few years ago. We were trying to get home, but our flight was cancelled. The only place we could find to stay for the night was this little one room cabin in the middle of nowhere. But, it just so happened to have one of the most breathtaking views in the sky. I've always wanted to see them again. You ever seen them?"

"Yeah," she said. "My team and I were in Canada in the Yukon during March one year. We were… uh… busy with other things, so we really didn't get to admire them. I'd like the chance to do so one day, though." Andy suddenly felt a pang in her heart as she thought of Frankie, Liam, and Stacy, and a frown pulled down her lips.

"You miss them," Lex said, seeing the change in her mood.

"I do," she admitted. "When you spend every day of the past five years with someone, they become your family. Well, Frankie I've known a lot longer than that."

"When did you meet him?"

"We signed up for the Army at the same time, then ended up together at Fort Benning for boot camp. After that, we always seemed to end up in the same place and we became best friends. We were even the founding members of our team."

"How did that come about?" Lex asked. "I mean, if you can talk about that."

Andy chewed her bottom lip, a heaviness settling in her stomach at the memory of when she and Frankie had discovered what was really lurking in the shadows on the outskirts of normal human perception. It was a terrible story, covered in an amount of blood that still, to this day, had her fighting with her body to keep from throwing up. She shuddered in his arms at the scene in her head. How could she explain the story to Lex without giving everything away? How would he react? Could Cas and Seth be right about telling him the truth? Or would telling him end everything between them then and there?

Her thoughts were broken when she felt his hand on her cheek, wiping away a tear she hadn't realized had fallen. She turned her head to look at him and he pressed his forehead down to hers.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"It's OK, Lex," she said, bringing her hand up to card through his hair. "There's no way you could have known, and honestly, I wish I could tell you everything. I do. I just…"

"Hey, I get it," he assured her. "There are things about our jobs we can't talk about with anyone. I understand."

If only it were just that. "I still hate it."

"I know, babe." He kissed her softly, bringing a smile back to her face. "There's that smile I love."

"You seem to make it happen a lot.”

"I'm glad," he said as they settled back into their original position.

Andy raised her head and turned slightly to pick up her wine glass from the table beside them, however she paused, choosing to pick up one of the bright pink and white flowers instead. She brought the lily to her nose and slowly breathed in the strong and sweet fragrance.

"So, I have to ask," she said, gazing at the flower as she twirled it between her fingers. "Why this specific flower?"

She felt the rumble in his chest as he chuckled softly. "When we were walking to the coffee shop that first night and we passed the florist, you stopped specifically to look at the arrangement they had of them in the window. I had a suspicion that you may like them."

"They're my favorite flower," she said as she rested her head back onto his shoulder.

"Score one for me then," he said and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"You definitely get more than one. This whole night was amazing, Lex. Thank you," she told him. "Now I have to figure out something for our third date."

"Actually," he started. "If you're up for it, Seth and Justin want to go on a double date. They both really like you, which is really saying something because they've never liked  _ any _ of my girlfriends."

"I'm glad they like me. I like them, too," she said with a laugh that turned into an unexpected yawn that she covered with her free hand.

"Tired, babe?" he asked, turning his wrist so he could glance at his watch. "Damn, it's after midnight."

She laid the flower back onto the table and covered his hands with hers. "I don't really want this night to end."

"You could stay here tonight," he suggested almost cautiously as he turned his head to look at her. Even though they had spent every night together since they had been in Rhode Island, there was something more about tonight—a deeper significance to the act had been created and they both felt that a deeper emotion had been recognized over the course of the night, as well. "If you want."

Her gaze turned to meet his and she stole a kiss from his lips. "I would love to stay here tonight, Lex."

Together they picked up the dishes and brought them to the kitchen. They stood at the sink washing the plates and glasses and then put them away, stealing kisses here and there. When the task was done, Lex sent her to his bedroom so she could get one of his t-shirts from his closet to sleep in. With her in his room, he proceeded to shut down the electronics.

Upon entering his room, he smiled to himself at finding her dress folded neatly on the foot of his bed in the center of the room with her shoes on the floor below. It was just a simple thing, and he shook his head at how easily it had made him so happy, but the small act meant that, once again, he would get to wake up next to her. 

He picked up her clothing and shoes to place them on top of his dresser by the entrance and took a pair of grey, cotton sleep pants from one of the drawers. Once he was changed, he deposited his own clothing in a hamper by the closet located in the far right corner of the room. When he turned, he finally realized he could see her through the open door of his ensuite bathroom.

His breath hitched in his throat at the sight of her. She was absolutely breathtaking in his old hunter green t-shirt. The garment hung loosely on her petite frame, hanging down just below the curve of her butt. Without realizing it, he made his way across the bedroom and was leaning against the door jam of the bathroom, watching her with a dreamy smile on his face as she removed her makeup at the sink. He couldn't remember a time when he had been so enamored with someone, and certainly not in such a short amount of time.

He had wanted her from the moment he had laid eyes on her. However, after that first night at the coffee shop, it was clear that what was between them was so much more that just a physical attraction. That bond had only deepened with all the time they had spent together, and the only thing he wanted was to make sure it lasted. Suddenly, he heard Justin's words from earlier that day ringing in his head.

_ If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're in love with this girl. _

His friend's voice repeated the important part of the sentence again.

_ I'd say you're in love with this girl. _

Justin's voice faded away and his own echoed in his mind now.

_ You're in love with this girl. _

The revelation almost knocked him flat on his ass, and not because it was a shock. It wasn't like it was the first time he had been in love, but there was something different about this time. In the past, the thought had scared the hell out of him. Now, however, the fact brought a calming sense of comfort to him that had his smile growing across his face.  _ This _ was how love was supposed to feel, and the thought occurred to him that maybe he hadn't really been In love before he met the beautiful girl standing in his bathroom, who he realized was now staring at him.

"You alright?" she asked, concerned. "You look a little dazed."

"Never been better," he said, chuckling softly. "You ready for bed, Beautiful?"

She nodded, returning the smile he was giving her, and he led the way to his bed. As soon as they were both under the covers with the lights off, he was winding his arms around her and gently pulling her close to him with his lips on hers. They kissed soft and slow, only pulling away to catch their breath. 

"Lex," Andy started, a hint of nervousness in her voice as the tips of her fingers came up to trace his jawline. "I think I'm starting to fall for you."

He couldn't stop the smile that encompassed his features as he pressed another kiss to her lips. "I promise, I'll catch you when you do."

* * *

_ Ankara, Turkey _

Frankie slid his back down the stone wall of the alley way into a sitting position, the blood soaked blade of his machete clattering on the pavement as he let it fall. Scowling at the two decapitated bodies of the male vampires he had just killed, he fought to catch his breath. At least now there were only six blood sucking bottom feeders hunting him. They had been following him since he stepped off the train, and he knew he needed more ash. He had used the last of the bag he had gotten in Jordan before he had gotten on the train in Syria.

He had thought he would have enough time to get to the car that had been left for him. He turned his head towards the end of the alleyway to look at the inconspicuous little blue Honda. He had been so close. There was another bag of saffron, skunk cabbage, and trillium ash in the trunk of that car, and he had just been about to get it out when he was jumped by the fanged bastards. 

With his breathing back to normal, he grasped his blade and looked around for the backpack he had discarded when he started fighting. He spotted it on the ground by the car and pushed himself to his feet. He didn't have the luxury of wasting any more time. The trains to Ankara had taken up two days and he only had seventy-two hours before Andy would be expecting him to check in with her, and the drive to Berlin was going to take up twenty-seven of those hours. He had to be in Virginia before she started looking for him, which he knew she would do as soon as he missed his check in. 

Frankie scooped up his backpack and opened the front passenger's side door to toss the fabric container and his weapon onto the floorboard. As he reclosed the door, he looked out over the view of the city. The sun was just starting to rise over the minarets of the Kocatepe Mosque. It would be just after midnight in Virginia, and he hoped that his friend was doing better than he was at the moment. 

After retrieving the ash mixture from the trunk and smearing it all over his clothing, Frankie got into the driver's seat of the car as he pulled the car keys he had acquired in Egypt from his pocket. As he went to insert the key into the ignition, he noticed the folded piece of paper taped to the middle of the steering wheel and he plucked it off to read the note.

_ F, _

_ I think I have a name. You are not going to like it. Oh, and the other recruited two more. See you soon. _

_ -K _

Frankie's head hit the back of the headrest with a frustrated thunk and a growl. "Fucking wonderful!"

* * *

_ Charlotte, North Carolina _

A loud bang of an explosion filled the air of the upscale hotel room, throwing Sam and Dean across the room and into the far wall. They groaned in pain as the bright cerulean blue smoke wafting around them started to clear. The brothers glared at the red headed witch standing behind a table with a metal bowl and various ingredients placed on the surface before her.

"Well," Rowena mused as her hands landed on her hips. "That didn't work."

"No, kidding," Dean groused as he and his brother pushed themselves back to their feet. "I thought you said that spell  _ would _ work?"

"No," she corrected, levelling a glare his way. "I said it would work  _ if _ you brought me something she had on her when she encountered the demon. You brought me sulfur found at the scene and an angel blade she used to kill shapeshifters that just so happened to be in the car behind her when she was stabbed. What did you expect, Dean? If you get me that damn blade—"

"We're working on it!" Dean half shouted.

"Don't you dare yell at me, Winchester!" Rowena warned. "I'm doing the best I can with what little I have to work with!"

"Alright you two!" Sam intervened. "Arguing isn't going to get us anywhere." He glanced over to the window with the morning light flooding through. "We've been at this all night." He turned back to his brother and the witch. "Maybe we should take a break. Get some sleep."

They weren't going to get that sleep, however. The phone given to the Winchesters by Gage started ringing in Sam's pocket. He hastily fished it out to find a text message from the director.

_ Check your email. I received something this morning you are going to want to see. _

The younger Winchester wasted no time in grabbing his laptop that had been on the bed and put it on the table Rowena was still standing at as he turned the computer on. As the device booted up and Sam navigated to his email, the witch and his brother crowded around him to see what he was doing. He clicked on the lone message in his inbox with a subject line that read "the weapon" and a picture began loading. When the image was complete, Rowena covered her mouth as a strangled gasp escaped her.

The photo in front of them was of a long dagger with an obsidian blade with a hilt covered in black leather and trimmed with gold. Carved along the length of the long, sharp blade were carvings of intricate spell work symbols, and they could still see Andy's blood still embedded into the linework.

"Rowena!" Sam said urgently at her reaction. "What is it?!"

She turned to the younger Winchester with frantic eyes. "Call Castiel! He needs to get to her  _ NOW!" _

* * *

_ Langley, Virginia _

Andy sighed happily as she slowly woke in Lex's bed. Just as her eyes fluttered open she saw him exit the bathroom wearing a dark red button up dress shirt tucked into a pair of black slacks. She watched him as he adjusted his black silk tie around his neck with an adoring smile on her lips.

"You look good in red," she said, catching his attention. " _ Really _ good."

"Thank you," he said as he crossed to crouch down beside the bed and kiss her tenderly. "Good morning, Beautiful."

"I hate that you have to go to work today," she said with an exaggerated pout.

He chuckled and kissed her again. "I know. I do too. I should be home around five or six, though. You're welcome to stay here if you want. I had to run down and get my suitcase from your apartment first thing this morning, so I grabbed you some clothes. They're on the dresser with your dress. I put your phone and keys there, too."

"You're so thoughtful."

"I try. Oh, and I found your necklace that I put that camera in. I guess I shoved it in my suitcase when Sam and I were getting everything together in Providence. I'll take the camera out and fix it the best I can when I get home. I put it on the dresser with your other stuff for now."

"Thank you, baby," she said.

He glanced at his watch and groaned. "I really have to get going." He kissed her once more. "I'll see you this evening. I can't wait to come home to you"

"I can't either."

He smiled as he stood, and she watched him as he walked towards the door. "Oh! Lex!" she called as a thought occurred to her. He turned back to look at her. "Would you let Seth or Justin know I'm here. They are supposed to come see me today."

"You got it, babe."

With a "Thank you" from her he continued on his path, and she slipped back into sleep shortly after she heard him leave and lock the door.

* * *

Andy wasn't sure how long she had been asleep when she woke with a start. She quickly sat up, looking around the room. The fringes of her instincts were alerting her to something, but as far as she could see, there was nothing to be worried about. Still, out of habit, she eased out of the bed and hurriedly made her way over to the dresser and grabbed the pair of jeans lying on its surface that Lex had brought from her apartment. She slipped them on and quietly crept through Lex's home, stopping in the kitchen to grab a butcher knife.

After going through every room in the apartment and finding nothing, she shook her head at her paranoia and placed the knife on the bar counter. Scolding herself for being so jumpy, she made her way back into Lex's bedroom. As she entered, the necklace with the Latin encryption caught her eye. She picked the jewelry up with two fingers, but quickly threw it back onto the dresser with a yelp of surprise when the silver burned her skin.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed as she examined her fingers. There suspiciously wasn't a mark on them.

A loud knocking sound from the living room stole her attention and she was instantly back in the main living space of the apartment. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Lex standing near the kitchen with his head hanging down. He was wearing his sleep pants from the night before and he was clutching the butcher knife she had laid on the counter.

It was painfully obvious that something wasn't right.

"Lex?" she asked cautiously as she slowly started to move towards the door.

Pain suddenly seared through her abdomen, bringing her to her knees. Her eyes shot down to look at herself and the entire front of Lex's shirt that she wore was soaked with blood. Her gaze was forced back up when a hand circled around her throat. Lex stared at her with a sickening grin on his face as he dragged her to her feet.

"LEX!" Andy choked out through the vice-like grip on her throat, clawing at his hand.

"Lex isn't home right now," he said with an eerie calm as his eyes turned into the deep black voids of a demon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Blood, Violence, Smut

Andy felt her insides twist and her heart shatter as she stared into the black eyes of the demon possessing Lex. This was her fault. She had thought the warding that had been placed on their apartments would keep him hidden. How could she have been so stupid? She kept mentally chastising herself as another part of her brain scrambled to come up with a plan. She had to get out of the crushing grip the demon held on her throat and she had to get the hell spawn out of Lex before he was hurt.

As her vision started to blur from lack of oxygen, she could have sworn she saw Lex's body glitch for half a second and morph into another figure. A familiar face... Justin? But it was only for a moment, and then she was staring into the demon's black eyes again. However, the glitch in his appearance appeared to have affected him. The grip on her throat went lax, and she took the opportunity to wrench away, the action sending her crashing to the ground.

Pain shot through her whole body from her torso and she felt the stitches in her abdomen rip through the skin. Blood gushed from her wound, soaking the shirt she wore from Lex to the point that it was dripping onto the hardwood floor. She bit through the pain, focusing on the demon in her boyfriend's body stalking towards her again.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica. Ergo, omnis legio diabolica, adiuramus te—" she started to chant.

"Oh I don't think so!" the demon said, and lunged for her.

He collided into her and they wrestled for dominance, her injury ultimately giving the hell bitch the upper hand. He straddled her chest and with an invisible force held her shoulders to the ground. A twisted grin was on his face as he peered down at her. She tried to move her legs, but it suddenly felt like there was a weight on them, fighting against her efforts.

The demon's form quickly glitched and she saw Justin once more.

" _ ANDY! COME BACK TO US!" _ Justin's voice shouted in her head, echoing around in her consciousness.

"NO!" the demon roared. The disturbance in his form had angered him and he shoved the butcher knife he still had in his hand into her already open wound. Andy could feel the knife slicing through her organs and she did her best to fight against the pain it caused. She wasn't going to let this demon have Lex.

"Ccessa decipere humanas creaturas, eisque æternæ perditionìs venenum propinare…" Andy could feel her words beginning to slur from the amount of blood she had lost and hoped the Latin was clear enough to work.

_ "ANDY!"  _

This time is was Castiel's voice ringing in her brain… no… by her ear?

She turned her head and for the briefest of seconds she saw the angel and her position had suddenly changed. Castiel was gone and she was sitting up against the wall, an unknown force locked around her arms and legs with the demon straddling her lap. 

How did she get here?

The demon inside of Lex roared in fury again, jerking the knife from her body. "SHUT UP YOU FUCKING BITCH!!"

Andy's entire world crumbled down around her, watching in slow motion as the demon raised the butcher knife over his head and plunged it into Lex's chest. A guttural scream ripped from her lips as the blood began to pour from his wound.

"Now he's just a dead meat suit," the demon said, laughing coldly and pulling the knife free of Lex's body.

_ "ANDY!" _

Seth?

Andy stared with tears streaming down her cheeks as the demon brought the blade to her lips.

"You wanna taste his blood? It is, after all, on your hands."

An all encompassing rage suddenly flowed through her and she started to fight against her unseen restraints with all the strength she had left. She may be dying, but this demon would regret hurting Lex.

The demon yelled in her face again and grabbed the back of her head, trying to shove the blade into her mouth. She could feel the sharp metal cutting her lips and crashing painfully into her teeth.

_ "ANDY! STOP FIGHTING ME!" _

Justin?

Why was she hearing her friends' voices?!

She felt something grip the sides of her head and hold her in place as the blade shoved passed her teeth. A foul tasting liquid suddenly filled her mouth and she coughed and sputtered on it, trying to push the substance out to no avail. The demon—no, Justin? the demon?—had retracted the blade and clamped a hand over her mouth and nose, forcing her to swallow the fluid when she tried to breathe.

Another scream ripped from her when what felt like fire erupted in her brain and quickly traveled throughout her whole body. Her vision blurred with a spectrum of colors, white dots dancing across her line of sight and inking to black around the edges. Her stomach twisted and churned, and before she knew it she was vomiting up a thick, black, and sticky substance that covered her and the ground around her. 

Her vision slowly started to refocus once she had stopped heaving and she looked up to find Justin straddling her lap, also covered in the black goo her body had expelled and holding a large oral medicine syringe in his right hand. It took her brain a moment to process that Seth was behind him holding down her legs and that she was seated between Castiel's thighs on the hardwood floor. Her back was against his chest and one of his arms was locked tightly around hers while the palm of his hand was gently pressed upon her temple. There was no blood, just the disgusting substance that had come out of her mouth.

"Are you with us, Andy?" Justin asked cautiously.

She nodded slowly as she looked around the living room, her eyes instantly seeing that the butcher knife was still lying on the counter where she had left it. "What happened?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

She heard a collective sigh of relief from all three men as they relinquished their hold on her. 

"You were in one hell of a curse-induced hallucination," Justin said. He and Seth stood and Castiel helped Andy to her feet.

"What?" Andy asked, her brain still trying to grasp what she had thought she had seen. Her hand went to her lips but found no cuts, and she pulled the goo drenched shirt up. All the bruising along with her stitches were gone, leaving behind a thin scar just below her sternum. She turned her eyes to the angel who still had his hands on her shoulders. "None of it was real? Lex is OK?"

Castiel quickly flitted his eyes to the other two men who had looks of sympathy on their faces. "Andy, what did you see?" the angel asked as he focused on her.

Andy shakily made her way through what had happened after she had woken up, tears filling her eyes toward the end. Seth shot forward and wrapped his arms around her in a consoling hug.

"Lex is fine, sweetie," he assured her. "None of what you saw was real." He took her from Castiel's hold and led her over to the leather loveseat. He sat her down with him and the other two followed suit on the other couch. 

"I've got so many questions," Andy said, looking between the three.

"Let me see if I can clear some of them up," Justin offered as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees with his hands woven together. "We called to tell you we were on our way, but you didn't answer. Seth and I both had a bad feeling, so we headed on up with the anti-curse tonic I made for you last night. We got here about the same time Castiel did, and after a few 'who the hell are yous,’ we figured out we were all here for the same reason."

"Dean called saying that Gage was finally able to obtain the knife the demon used to stab you and that I had to get to you immediately. Luckily, I knew where Lex's apartment was. I came here as soon as I realized you weren't home," Castiel interjected. "The knife he used is something called a 'witch's blade,' and when it cuts into the intended victim’s skin, it releases a curse into the blood. If the initial wound doesn't kill you, the curse will. When I healed you those two times, it held off the effects, but the curse remained."

"Which is what caused your hallucinations," Seth added.

"Because of the level of magic that's needed to make one of these blades, we think that it gives the curse a certain cloaking ability. It must've hidden it from Castiel when he tried to see what was going on," Justin continued. "But we really didn't have time to discuss that possibility. It was about then that we heard you scream. Castiel angel mojoed the lock and we walked in to find you curled in a ball on the floor screaming. You fought like hell, and it took all three of us to hold you down, but we got the tonic in you just in time."

Andy took a deep breath as she processed what she had just been told and let herself lean back into the sofa. "That explains why my necklace burned me."

"What necklace?" Seth asked.

"A witch gave it to me when we saved her from a group of dark witches that were gunning for her," Andy explained. "It has an incantation carved into it that roughly translates to 'protect me from magic intended to harm.’ I haven't touched it since before the demon attacked me. I guess it reacted to the curse." Her gaze fell back to Justin. "How did you know what to use to save me? It kind of sounds like you didn't know about the blade until you ran into Cas."

"I'm a descendant of the Norse goddess of healing, Eir," Justin told her. He didn't notice Castiel quickly focus his attention on him. "I didn't get any powers or anything out of the deal. I'm completely human, but when I found out, I sought out every piece of information I could find on her. Along the way, I learned all her rituals, spells, and tonics she used for healing. She also had a few that cured the effects of curses, which is what I used on you."

"That's really cool actually," Andy said. "I've heard about the human descendants of the gods, but I've never met any before."

Castiel looked back and forth between them curiously.

"Yeah, they're super rare from what I've read," Seth said.

"So, what now?" Andy asked. "Am I cured?"

"Well," Justin said, turning to look at the puddle of black liquid behind them. “That pretty much says that you are."

The other three cringed as they followed his gaze.

"We should really get this place cleaned up before Lex gets home," Seth suggested.

"What the hell am I going to tell him about being completely healed?" Andy asked.

"I'll take care of that," Justin said as he turned back to her. "I'll tell him you passed out on us and that I took you to one of the doctors on my  _ 'route _ ,'" he emphasized with air quotes. "Tell him that he fixed you up good as new."

"Because that's believable," Castiel said sarcastically.

"I’ll make it sound more convincing than that," Justin shot back. 

"You should probably go take a shower, Andy," Seth suggested. "I'll get those clothes clean for you. Do you have any others here?"

"I have a dress and the shirt Lex brought me from my apartment this morning."

"Then I'll run and get you more to wear," Seth offered.

She nodded and stood from her seat. "We better get moving then."

* * *

"What do you mean she passed out?!" Lex shouted into his cell phone while he sat in front of his computer at work. "Is she OK?!"

Joshua, the only other person in OTS that evening, stepped out of his office after hearing the urgency in Lex's voice.

"When did this happen?!" Lex demanded into the phone, pausing while the person on the other end spoke. "Lunchtime?! Justin, it's after four! Why the hell are you just calling me now?! Why didn't she call me?! What doctor did you take her to?!" He was vaguely aware of Joshua taking a seat in the rolling chair next to him as Justin answered his questions. "And now she's just miraculously all better... again?" Lex didn't see Joshua's brow rise at his inquiry. "Must be a real damn good doctor, Justin! I can't believe you didn't call me when all this happened! I'll be leaving here shortly. Stay with her until I get there, please!" He disconnected the call in a huff and shoved the device into his pocket.

"Everything all right with Andy?" Joshua asked.

"Apparently she's in perfect health again," Lex snapped.

"So... you're mad that your... Friend? Girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend."

Joshua grinned enthusiastically. "I knew you were perfect for each other! Anyway, so, you're upset your girlfriend is better?"

"No!" Lex ran his fingers through his hair in agitation. "I'm not upset because she's better."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Other than the fact that no one thought to call me and tell me they had to rush her to a doctor, it's how fast it happened. Joshua, her liver had a freaking knife shoved through it and in less than twenty-four hours her liver was completely fine, like nothing had ever happened to it. We get home and her stomach suddenly looks like she'd been beaten, and the next day when I leave her for thirty minutes, I come back to find her more than halfway healed. Now, two days later she goes to see this random doctor—whose name I can't get my friend to even give me—and now all that's left is a small little scar? She's perfectly fine? Tell me how that makes sense, Joshua! Not to mention all the fucking weird shit that went down in Providence, which I'm sure you know all about by now!"

"I do know," Joshua confirmed. "Gage filled me in and I've also been in contact with the FBI agents that were there."

"That's another thing!" Lex said, turning to his computer and typing. "I got curious and looked them up. Their files are one hundred percent confidential. You can't even see their date of birth."

Joshua watched as Lex brought up all three files on his screen. "They are a very special classification of agent, Lex."

Lex turned to glare at him. "So special that when I hacked into the database to skirt around the blocks, I found out their files were completely blank?"

Joshua's eyes widened and he fought back the proud smile trying to form on his lips. "You hacked into the FBI's database?"

"Who are these guys, Joshua?" Lex asked, choosing not to answer his question. "What the hell is going on?"

"Lex," Joshua started, a seriousness to his voice Lex had never heard before. "Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to."

"I want the answers, Joshua!"

The other man sighed as he ran a hand down his face. "Sam, Dean, and Cas are good men, Lex. The three of them, Andy, and the rest of her team have done a lot of good and saved a lot of people." He paused as he weighed his words. "My job requires that I tell you to let this go."

"Joshua—"

"And it also prevents me from telling you that you should research an old order called  _ The Men of Letters. _ And I mean  _ really  _ look into them, Lex. Use your skills to get to the real information."

"The Men of Letters?" Lex questioned, his face contorted with confusion.

"Yes," Joshua confirmed with a nod. "I would hold off on demanding any more answers until you learn about them." He smiled as Lex nodded his agreement. "Now go ahead and get out of here and go see Andy."

* * *

"Well that went well," Justin said sarcastically as he walked back into Lex's apartment, shutting the door behind him.

Seth and Andy were seated back onto the loveseat and they both turned to look at him as he entered.

"Is he mad?" Andy asked.

"He's just upset that I took so long to call him," Justin assured her as he sat down on the other couch. "I understand. I'd be pretty heated too if something happened to Seth and no one told me until hours later. He'll get over it when he sees you really are OK."

"There really wasn't a whole lot we could do about it," Seth added as his gaze trailed over to where the incident from earlier had taken place. "Cleaning that shit up took a lot longer than any of us expected and we couldn't risk him coming home early."

"What did he say when you told him you brought me to a doctor that completely fixed me?" Andy asked.

"He um… He was pretty suspicious," Justin admitted.

Andy groaned as she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "Great," she grumbled.

"Andy," Justin started, taking the time to choose his words wisely. "I know you have your orders, and I know Lex has orders not to ask questions. But, this is going to end up driving a wedge between you if one of you doesn't bend. Though, I don't think it will be tonight. Once he sees you are OK, that's the only thing he's going to care about. But the next time something happens, and you  _ know _ there will be a next time, he's gonna start asking questions regardless of what he's been told, and those answers need to come from you."

"I know," she whispered, turning her head to bury her face in the dark gray t-shirt of Lex's she had chosen to put on after her shower. She sighed deeply and turned her eyes back to Justin. "Where did Cas go?"

"Dean called as we walked out," Justin informed her. "He went to go meet up with him and Sam so they can get that blade from Gage."

"I'm going to have to meet up with them somehow later," Andy said.

"You could use the coffee shop," Seth suggested. "We are slow on Thursdays so it's likely just to be all of us. I can busy Lex with my computer. Damn thing's always got something wrong with it."

"If you would install the new operating system I bought you  _ four days ago— _ " Justin began.

"Baby! That's a great idea!" Seth enthused, cutting his boyfriend off. "I can have Lex install that while Andy talks to the Winchesters!"

Justin chuckled fondly at his love and leaned back into his seat. "How do you plan on getting them down to the shop?"

"I really don't want to tell him anymore lies," Andy interjected.

Seth looked at her with empathy and leaned over to wrap his arm around her shoulders. "We won't, hon. I really do need that installed. Justin and I will call Cas, get him to bring Sam and Dean to the shop, and then I'll call Lex and ask him to do me a favor."

Andy nodded and leaned into her friend's embrace. "Thanks guys. For everything. I don't even want to think what would have happened if you two and Cas weren't here."

"We got you, Andy," Justin promised.

"Hey, I have a question," Seth said, realizing his friend was in need of a change of topic. "Are Sam and Dean really Men of Letters legacies?"

"You know about that?" Andy asked.

"Research boss," Seth reminded her as he pointed to himself with a proud grin on his lips.

"I've heard rumors, too," Justin added. "Most of them when those jerk offs from England were trying to kill off the American hunters. That Arthur Ketch is a real douche bag."

"Yeah," Andy growled. "That fucker tried to take out me and my team. I shot him in the leg."

"Nice!" Justin said as he burst with laughter.

"Apparently he's not so bad now, according to Sam and Dean," Andy said. "Guess his loyalty flipped when the order decided they wanted him dead. I still don't trust him, but to answer your question, yes, Sam and Dean are legacies. They actually live in one of the chapter house bunkers."

"Oh wow!" Seth exclaimed. "The books that must be on the shelves in that place!"

"The weapons!" Justin added enthusiastically.

"Yeah, it's pretty awesome," Andy confirmed. "We stayed with them a couple nights when we were in the states a few years ago. How easy was it to find information on them?"

"I couldn't really find a whole lot to be honest," Seth admitted. "Just some of the basic stuff. They have encryption you'd need to be Lex or something to get through."

"You think  _ that's _ tough to get through," Andy said. "You should see the warding on that place. It's insane! You can't even track a cell signal coming from there." She paused for a moment. "Speaking of warding and things of that nature… Cas warded Lex's apartment, but he doesn't have anything on him that protects him against possession." She shuddered as she remembered the black voids that had replaced Lex's amber eyes in her hallucination. "We really need to figure out a way to remedy that."

"Andy," Seth said with a smile. "Lex is our best friend. Do you really think we haven't taken every precaution we can?"

Andy tilted her head in interest as she looked back and forth between them. "What have you two done?"

"That leather cord bracelet he wears with the two little wooden beads," Justin said. "One bead has an anti-possession symbol on it, the other has sigils that hide him from demons. We gave it to him for his birthday one year."

"I've seen that bracelet close up," Andy said skeptically. "I haven't seen any markings on those beads."

"The symbols are carved pretty small and they have layers of stain, sealant, and varnish on them to hide everything," Seth explained. "Unless you are holding the thing right up to your face, you can't see them."

"Wow, and here I was trying to figure out how to get him to wear an anti-possession charm." 

Seth and Justin both laughed. "Can you imagine trying to explain to him what it is?" Seth asked.

"Actually…" Andy said slowly. "I have a tattoo of it on my hip. He saw it when I was in the hospital."

"What did you tell him it was?" Justin asked.

"That it meant protection and that my whole team and I got the same tattoo as like a bonding thing."

"Well, it's not a lie," Seth said. "I have no clue what I would have said if he had seen mine and asked about it."

"You two have them?"

"Yeah," Justin confirmed. "Seth's is on his right side, mine’s on my left shoulder blade."

The sound of a key turning in the front door halted their conversation and they all turned towards the noise, holding a collective breath as Lex walked into the apartment. He had removed his tie and undone the first button of his dark red dress shirt and he met each of their gazes as he shut the door and tossed his keys on to the small table by the door. Joshua's words echoed in his head as he crossed the room and he released a breath as he sat down next to Justin. 

"You three had an interesting day," Lex said, his eyes landing on each of them.

"Uh, yeah," Justin started, clearing his throat and sitting up straight. "Listen, Lex, I'm sorry I didn't call you sooner—"

Lex held up his hand to stop him. "It's alright, man. I know you were just trying to get things taken care of."

"So, does that mean you're not mad at me anymore?"

Lex scrubbed a hand down his face and sighed. Of course he was still annoyed at the whole situation. The three of them were obviously not telling him something. However, being angry wasn't going to do anything for him, and he had said on multiple occasions that he understood there were things that Andy couldn't tell him. So, until he could look into what Joshua had told him about, there was no sense in asking questions she couldn't answer. Besides, despite everything, he was extremely thankful for her being healed up, no matter what the real reason for the miracle was. Even if he hated using the term.

"I'm fine," Lex said. "Just glad everything turned out OK."

He could almost feel the breath of relief the other three released.

"Well," Justin said as he stood. "I guess Seth and I should get going. It's almost time for Jamie to go home and we're running the shop tonight."

With a reassuring squeeze to Andy's shoulder, Seth agreed. The two said their farewells and a few minutes later, Lex walked them to the door. When they were gone, he joined Andy on the loveseat where she still sat with her knees hugged to her chest. She still looked so anxious and he hated knowing that he was the reason for it.

"Andy," he started, and her eyes came up to meet his. "I promise, I'm not mad. I was just worried about you. I'm really glad you're better." 

"I'm sorry I didn't call," she said. "Everything just happened so fast."

"Come here," he said softly, motioning for her to come closer.

A small smile broke out across her lips as she crawled over and placed herself on his lap facing him. Her fingers slipped into his hair and his hands slid up her thighs to her hips as their lips met.

"Ya know," he said when the kiss had ended, tugging on the ends of his shirt she was wearing. "You look better in my clothes than I do." He smiled at the blush that twinged her cheeks as she chuckled shyly. His eyes dropped down to where her wound would have been under the clothing and then he looked back up to her. "Can I see it?"

She nodded almost reluctantly and lifted the shirt with both hands to up just below her breasts, giving him a full view of the faint scar running horizontally below her sternum. His eyes widened, his brain trying to comprehend what he was seeing, or rather what he wasn't seeing. 

"Wow," he breathed, still not sure exactly how to react.

He reached up with one hand, placing it on her side and running his thumb over the scar on her skin. He felt her breathing increase at his touch, and his eyes snapped up to meet hers. The mood between them had suddenly changed to something else entirely and the heat building between them as his hand trailed down her side to her hip was palpable.

"So," he began, his eyes still locked on hers as his thumb traced the top part of her tattoo that was peeking out over the waist of her thin cotton shorts. "Does this mean you no longer have to refrain from  _ strenuous activity _ ?" he asked, his suggestive tone leaving no question as to what was on his mind.

An impish grin played at her lips as she pressed her body closer to his. "I no longer have to refrain from  _ you _ ."

His hand came up to cradle the back of her head and he pulled her mouth to his. The kiss was needy, all their pent up sexual tension finally spilling over as their tongues twisted together. With deft fingers, she quickly started to unfasten the buttons of his shirt. The moment the last button popped and the fabric was pushed to either side of his chest, he broke their kiss, gripping the hem on the shirt she wore and pulling it up and off of her. Before the article of clothing had touched the floor his mouth was sucking at the pulse point of her neck while he took off her bra.

His hands came up to palm her breasts, pulling soft moans from her that grew louder when his fingers started to roll her nipples. He blazed a trail with lips, covering her skin with a mix of teeth and tongue to replace one of his hands with his mouth.

"Lex!" she gasped when his lips circled the taut bud and his tongue swirled, so caught up in the sensation she didn't realize where his free hand was headed until his fingers slipped under the hem of her shorts and barely grazed her clit through her panties that were already damp with her slick. "Fuck! Lex!"

The sound of his name falling from her lips spurred him on and he pushed the fabric of her underwear aside. He ran a finger through her folds, groaning when he felt how wet she was. He gathered some of the wetness and slowly brought it up to circle her clit. The combined sensations of his hot mouth alternating between her hard nipples and his fingers lightly touching her sex had her keening loudly for him, twisting her hands in his hair and shivering as she followed the movement of his head. He had barely even touched her and she was already putty in his hands.

Two fingers gradually pushed into her dripping entrance and her forehead dropped to his shoulder, her hands desperately grasping at the back of his shirt while she cried out his name. He slowly pumped his digits while his thumb massaged her swollen nexus of nerves. The welcome intrusion had her whole body tingling. She could feel his mouth now on her neck, nipping and sucking his way up to her ear and his free hand was tweaking, twisting, and rolling her nipples. It was all she could do to hold on, moaning and gasping with her hips bucking against his hand of their own accord while he played her body like an instrument.

"Does it feel good, baby?" he asked, his voice low and raspy with lust.

"G-God, y-yes," she stammered. "Please, d-don't stop!"

"Oh, I have no intention of stopping." He crooked his fingers, finding that spot inside of her that made her shiver and whimper. "I wanna make you come apart with my hands." He inserted a third finger and a strangled cry tumbled from her lips at the stretch of her walls. "Then again with my mouth." The tempo of his strokes increased, causing her to tighten around his fingers. "Then, I'm gonna make you cum on my cock. God, I can't wait to have your tight pussy wrapped around my cock. I'm already so hard for you, Andy, and those pretty noises coming from you are making me throb."

His filthy words mixed with the talented ministrations of his hands and mouth had a tight coil twisting hotly in her stomach, hurtling her towards the edge of her release. "Lex! I'm gonna… Oh fuck, Lex!"

"Mmm, cum for me, baby," he purred. "Give it to me, Andy."

That was all she needed to send her soaring into a body shaking orgasam, screaming his name as she rode his fingers. She collapsed against him, gasping as he retracted his digits, looking up just in time to see him lick them clean.

"Fuck, Andy, you taste amazing," he said, letting his hand trail down her bare back.

She took the opportunity to latch her lips onto his neck, suckling and biting at the sensitive skin at his pulse point. Growling his approval, both of his hands gripped her ass, rocking her on his erection still trapped in the confines of his pants. She took her time, kissing and licking her way down his neck to his collarbone as her hands slipped down his chest to unbuckle his belt and unfasten the button of his pants. The zipper was pushed down as her mouth worked its way to his chest, and she slid off his lap to stand on her knees between his legs. Her lips trailed to his stomach as she started to tug the slacks down along with his boxers, pausing only when she leaned back to remove them completely.

A breath caught in her throat at the sight of his cock as it was finally freed. It was long and girthy, standing rock hard against his stomach up to his navel with precum already making its way to the surface. Her mouth watered at the thought of taking him into her mouth.

"See something you like?" he asked playfully, taking in the lustful way she looked at him.

Her only response as she met his heated gaze was a flash of a wolfish grin before she leaned forward and licked a long stripe from his balls all the way up the underside of his shaft to the tip.

"Oh, fuck! Andy!" he groaned, throwing his head back as she swirled her tongue around the very head of his cock, lapping up his precum before closing her lips around him.

He raised his head to watch as she thrilled in the sounds spilling from his lips and the feel of his hands twisting in her dark blonde locks, following her movements as she bobbed her head, taking more of his length into her mouth with every downward motion. Her lips were tight around his cock, her cheeks hollowed out to create suction with her movements, all the while massaging his balls with one hand while she used her other to hold his dick at the right angle. He moaned her name loudly when she made it to the base of his member and he felt the back of her throat. She swallowed around him and his fingers tightened their grip on her hair as he fought the urge to thrust into her mouth and spill his seed down her throat.

"Andy!" He cried. "Baby you gotta… FUCK!! Baby, I'm not gonna last if you keep doing that!"

Her eyes met his as she slowly pulled her mouth off his length with a lewd pop. "Maybe I want you to cum down my throat."

His cock twitched at her words and he leaned forward with a growl, pulling her by her hair to bring her lips to his. "Next time," he rasped. "There's only one place I want to cum tonight, and that's buried deep inside you."

Her mouth crashed back to his and she clambored back into his lap, yelping in surprise when he stood, supporting her with his hands firmly under her thighs. She circled her arms around his neck with her legs around his waist, moaning into his mouth when she felt his erection press against her as he carried her to the bedroom. He gently laid her in the center of the bed with her ass at the edge. His lips moved down her jaw to her neck, leaving a hot trail down to her chest where he spent time lavishing her breasts with attention until she was keening and writhing beneath him. He took his time, nipping, sucking, kissing, and licking over her stomach, making his way to the waistband of her shorts. He was on his knees between her legs when his fingers hooked into the sides and pulled off the last of her clothing in one fluid movement.

He did, however, take the time to appreciate her lying naked in front of him, shucking his shirt off as he did. "You're so fucking beautiful, Andy," he told her as his hands moved up her calves to her thighs.

She didn't have time to respond before he spread and placed her legs over his shoulders and dove his face between them. Whimpers pulled from her lips and he grinned behind his tongue as he licked her from entrance to clit, making her belly smolder with the beginnings of that same tight coil. Her hands desperately grabbed at the blankets, hips rocking helplessly into his face, the light stubble on his cheeks magnificently abrasive against her thighs. Lex relished in the way she gasped and how her legs trembled with his actions, and he buried his hot tongue inside her. His name burst from her lips, loud and uninhibited as he twisted his tongue and explored her folds. Slowly, he moved back up to her swollen bundle of nerves, swirling around it once before he sucked it between his lips.

"LEX!" she screamed, her hands grasping and wrenching in the bedding, her hips still lurching up into him as he sealed his lips, sucking hard. "Fuck! Lex! Fuck, baby! Please don't stop! Make me cum on your tongue!"

Her release was building at a mind boggling rate, her head cloudy and foggy with the pleasure he was sending singing through her body. Her cries became wordless, just loud and sensual sounds punching out of her when he pushed two fingers inside her entrance and rolled her clit between his lips. His fingers crooked in just the right way, hitting that oh so sweet spot inside of her and her blood ignited.

He started to pump his hand and she squirmed, keening, squeaking and making noises she had never heard come from herself before. Her fingers finally found their way into his velvety locks and she twisted, tangling them in the strands as she finally found her words again.

"FUCK! AH! AH! LEX! FUCK, LEX, I'M SO CLOSE. MAKE ME CUM, BABY!"

He groaned into her, the vibration sending her mouth flying open in a silent scream, and then he shifted his body, moving so he could ram his fingers into her hard and fast while he sucked and swirled his tongue on her clit.

"LEX!!!" she screamed as her orgasm hit her hard enough to send her into the stratosphere, her hips still bucking into him as he continued his ministrations, prolonging her ecstasy for as long as possible.

It wasn't until she was twitching from over stimulation that he pulled his mouth and hand away, smirking proudly as he looked up at her, completely wrecked and trying to catch her breath.

Their eyes met as he crawled up the bed to lay on his side next to her, propping himself up on his elbow. She chuckled at the self-satisfied grin on his lips. "Look at you all proud."

"What can I say, I  _ really _ like making you a panting mess. I knew you would make all kinds of pretty noises." His free hand came up to cradle her face and he pressed his lips to hers.

The taste of herself on his lips and tongue sent her arousal flooding back into her with renewed need and she groaned into his mouth as she reached between them and wrapped her hand around his thick cock. He grunted and pulled away from the kiss, his eyes full of fresh desire as she pumped his shaft.

"Scoot up the bed," he instructed. "I need to be inside you."

She eagerly did as he requested, but tilted her in confusion when he dove to the side of the bed to rip open the drawer on his bedside table to shuffle around inside of it. "What are you doing?" she asked with a small chuckle.

"Condom," he grunted, obviously perturbed at not finding what he needed instantly.

"Ya know," she said slowly, a grin on her lips. "I'm on birth control. So, unless you're worried about—"

Her words were cut off when he hastily crawled over to her and crushed his lips to hers. His hands skimmed down her body and she spread her legs as he settled between them. Reaching down he grasped his cock and lined himself up with her entrance. Their eyes locked again as he slowly sank into her, both of them moaning at the connection as their bodies pressed together. 

"Fuck!" he cried, his head dropping to her shoulder as he started to move within her. "Andy, you're so fucking tight! Feels so good!"

" _ You _ feel good!" she panted, wrapping her legs around his waist and meeting each one of the slow, deep thrusts of his hips with her own. She reveled in the way he stretched and filled her more than anyone ever had.

As his speed increased, he raised his head and brought his gaze to hers and his hands threaded into her hair. The look in his golden eyes as he looked down into hers stole her breath away. She had never seen someone look at her with such affection, adoration and—dare she say it— _ love _ . Her arms wound around his back, hands coming up to grasp his shoulders and to pull him down into a long, slow kiss. The kiss ended as his thrusts became harder, and one of his hands trailed down her body to her thigh. He coaxed her leg from around his waist and pushed it up, holding it firmly in place as his forehead connected with hers and he shifted his body to start pounding into her.

"Lex!" she shouted, the amount of pleasure rolling through her at the sudden change of pace taking her by surprise. "Yes! Fuck, Lex! Ah! Ah! Pound my pussy, baby!"

He groaned his approval, smashing his lips back to hers as he slammed into her hard enough to bang the headboard against the wall. His pace was fierce, his strokes deep enough to bump her cervix with every snap of his hips. She eagerly met each and every one of his thrusts, her fingers digging into the skin of his shoulders as she shouted his name over and over. The room was soon filled with nothing but the sound of skin on skin and their cries of bliss as they pushed each other toward the edge.

"Andy!" he growled, the feeling of her velvet walls tightening around him, gripping him like a vice, making his hips stutter. "You gonna cum again for me, beautiful?"

"C-close!" was the only word she could manage to stammer out as his hand slid down her thigh between them and started to rub furiously at her clit.

"Come on, baby!" he urged. "Cum on my cock!"

His words were the final push she needed to go tumbling over that edge for the third time, screaming his name. The clenching and spasming of her walls around him sent him shouting into his own Earth-shaking orgasm. His rhythm was lost, but he kept slamming into her at a brutal pace as he painted her insides with rope after rope of his hot seed. 

As oversensitivity started to take over, he slowed his movements and slid out of her. They stayed locked in each other's embrace, basking in their afterglow as they kissed softly. Neither of them had ever experienced anything so intense, the physical act fueled by the pure emotion they felt for each other still making their heads spin.

"That was… I've never… It’s never..." Andy started, unable to find the right words.

"I know," he whispered. "I feel the same."

"Lex, I…" The words were right there, she just had to say them, but a fear deep inside her changed them as they left her lips. "I don't want to lose you."

He smiled, hearing between the lines and knowing he irrevocably felt the same. "I promise, babe, I'm not going anywhere," he assured her, and sealed his vow with a kiss.

* * *

Seth and Justin had called Castiel shortly after leaving Lex's apartment to tell him about the plan for them all to meet at their coffee shop later that night. The angel had agreed and relayed the information to the Winchesters. Upon meeting up with the brothers to speak with Director Gage, they told him that they had brought Rowena back with them. The witch wanted to see the blade as soon as possible and even though she wouldn't admit it, she wanted to make sure that Andy was alright with her own eyes. After leaving the CIA headquarters, the hunters and the angel retrieved Rowena from the hotel room they were renting, and after they had explained to her the resemblance between Lex and a certain Archangel, the quartet headed to the coffee shop. 

After introductions, and Castiel emphasizing how Justin and Seth had been the ones to save Andy's life, the group settled into a corner of the coffee shop that held enough couches and armchairs for their whole group. After a few minutes of small talk and getting to know each other, Justin had retreated to the back to call Lex and set their plan for distracting him long enough for all of them to discuss their demon related issues into motion.

As Justin rejoined the group, Seth noticed the amused smirk on his face instantly. "What are you smiling about?"

Justin chuckled as he perched on the armrest of the chair his boyfriend was seated in. "Pretty sure I just interrupted something. Lex sounded pretty annoyed and out of breath when he answered the phone, but he said they would be down shortly."

Rowena snickered behind her mug of hot tea with a quiet "That's my girl" muttered under her breath while Sam looked slightly uncomfortable and Dean just looked irritated. Castiel studied their reactions as well when he noticed the grin that had taken over Seth's face. He turned to Justin with a curious look on his face. "What did you…" Then it dawned on him. " _ Oh!  _ Nevermind."

Dean cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter in his seat on the couch. "So what exactly are you two going to have Lex do that's going to keep him occupied while we talk?"

"He's going to be working on our computer in the back," Seth explained. "You can't hear anything going on out here when the door to the office is closed, and it should keep him busy for a while."

"You all realize you can't keep this poor boy in the dark forever, correct?" Rowena asked, leaning forward to place her tea on the coffee table in front of her. "Especially if they are getting as close as Castiel says. It's only a matter of time."

"Oh, we are definitely aware of that fact," Justin confirmed.

"But Andy still  _ technically  _ works for the government," Sam reminded them all. "Gage wants Lex left out of the loop and Andy is required to follow his orders."

"It's going to blow up in her face," Dean said. "Something is going to come knocking on the door and he's gonna get a harsh crash course into what's really out there.  _ If _ he survives it, he's gonna run for the hills."

"With all due respect, Dean," Seth said, a slight protective edge to his voice. "You don't know Lex. I'm not saying he's not going to freak out, but he's not going to abandon Andy."

"How can you be so sure of that?" Dean asked, verging on harsh.

"Cos he loves her," Justin said matter of factly. "Pretty sure Andy feels the same. Even if neither of them can say it yet."

"They've known each other a week!" Dean exclaimed.

"So," Seth said. "Justin moved in with me after a month. It would have been sooner if he wasn't hunting a ghost in another state."

The bell ringing the front door ended their conversation, and the group turned their attention to the couple walking through. Seth and Justin both cringed at the sight of the blonde woman on the arm of a tall, dark-haired man. Their companions instantly caught on to the change in the couples' demeanor and quickly shared suspicious looks.

"Who is that?" Castiel whispered.

"Olivia," Seth practically growled. "What the fuck is she doing here?"

"Who's Olivia?" Rowena asked.

"Lex's psychotic ex," Justin informed them as he stood and looked to Seth. "I'll take care of crazy and her latest victim. You text Lex and warn him."

* * *

Lex couldn't remember a time he had been so incredibly happy with just being in someone's presence as he gazed over at Andy in the crowded elevator of their apartment building. It felt so right to have her hand laced with his and her head resting on his shoulder, standing in the corner of the machine as it descended from his seventh floor apartment. The other occupants seemed to disappear when she looked up at him and smiled. He couldn't help but to steal a kiss when the doors opened up into the lobby.

They waved to the door man and walked out into the warm July night air. As the door closed behind them, Lex's phone dinged in his pocket and he fished the device out to find a text message from Seth. He groaned at the words.

_ Crazy just came in with her latest victim. Might wanna hold up. _

"What's wrong?" Andy asked, concerned at the sudden anger rolling off of him.

"My ex just showed up at the coffee shop with a date. We should wait until she leaves before we show up."

Now she was concerned for a whole other reason. "Can I ask why?" she asked cautiously, not being able to hide the slight fear in her tone.

Lex caught on immediately and halted his steps to wrap his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. "Babe, no, it's nothing like that! Believe me, I have no feelings for the woman whatsoever.  _ You _ are the only one I want."

"Then what is it, Lex?"

Lex sighed heavily as he released her and moved to sit on a bench near the entrance of their building. "This is gonna sound  _ really  _ cliché, but the woman is certifiably insane. She tried to completely ruin my life when I broke up with her."

"What did she do?" Andy asked, sitting down next to him.

Lex leaned forward, staring at the ground as he rested his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together. "Her name is Olivia. It's a long story, but basically, this Australian woman that we were working with at the time got pissed off because I wouldn't give up certain information. She convinced Olivia to help her stage this whole fucked up incident and they tried to frame me for raping her."

"Wait…" Andy said, wheels turning in her head and bringing up old memories. "This Australian bitch, her name wouldn't happen to be Natalie Buelle would it? Works for Australian SIS?"

Lex's head snapped in her direction. "How do you know that?"

"Frankie and I have known Gage a long time," Andy told him. "When that whole shit show went down, we were in D.C. He called, explained the situation, and asked us to make sure everything  _ went away _ . Frankie made sure Olivia recanted her bullshit claims and I escorted Natalie back to Australia. He didn't tell us your name, though."

"I didn't know he did that. I mean, I know she dropped the charges and barely skirted around not being charged herself with filing a false police report. But, I didn't know he sent people to personally see that it was done."

"Yeah, and Frankie told me even he could see the bitch was crazy. Does she still bother you?"

"Ever since I moved it doesn't happen as often. But every now and then she'll pop up in places she knows I go to with a feeble attempt at making me jealous or ruin a date if I'm on one."

"You had to move because of this bitch?!" Andy exclaimed angrily as she stood from her seat.

Lex looked up at her with wide eyes. The fury he saw in her deep blue orbs had taken him by surprise. He was even more taken aback when she grabbed his hand and hauled him to his feet, dragging him towards the coffee shop.

"Andy?" he questioned. "What are you doing?"

"We aren't stalling our plans over this bat shit crazy twit!" Andy declared. "Let the bitch  _ try _ to start something. She'll find out real fucking quick not to fuck with what's mine."

* * *

Justin tried—he really did—to keep a professional customer service smile on his face. However, the infuriating blonde woman that had once tried to completely decimate his best friend's life who was currently reading off and verbally dissecting every item on the coffee shop menu like she had never heard of any of the items was working his last nerve. Her date, who appeared to be getting tired of her actions as well, gently encouraged Olivia to "just pick something" so they could be on their way. A glimmer of hope passed through Justin when she turned to the man at her side, but it was quickly extinguished when she simply glared at him and turned back to the menu and asked where their Columbian blend coffee originated from, a question to which the hunter was sure his eye twitched when he answered.

It wasn't just the "pain in the ass customer" act that was getting under his skin. For the most part, he and Seth had become veterans in dealing with the type. What was really starting to boil his blood was that he knew exactly what she was doing, and it was taking every ounce of restraint he had not to kick her out of the establishment. She knew that Justin and Seth were very close with Lex, and on nights where one or both of them were working, he frequently visited. The couple had taken it upon themselves to warn the man whenever she came in, knowing full well that they would have to deal with her for no less than half an hour. But they gladly did it every time to keep as much distance between her and their friend as possible.

So when Lex and Andy walked in attached at the hip with their arms wound around the other's waist, Justin's mouth hit the ground. Lex was completely ignoring Olivia, who had turned to stare as they walked over to the group in the corner. Lex was focused on the four people he wasn't expecting to be there. Andy, however, made a point to make direct eye contact with her boyfriend's ex, giving her a delightfully wicked smile. Justin quickly realized she knew exactly who Olivia was, and he found himself biting his bottom lip to prevent himself from laughing at her very obvious "Please, try me" attitude. He simply watched with amusement as Olivia gawked at the couple greeting the group in the corner.

"Row!" Andy exclaimed happily, briefly leaving Lex's side to hug the witch who had stood to greet her. "I didn't know you were coming to town!"

"Yes, it was a last minute decision," Rowena said as their embrace ended. "It's very nice to see you again, dear." The witch peered over Andy's shoulder, her eyes growing wide at the sight of Lex. It took her a second to get over the shock of the face she knew from somewhere else. "And who might this handsome man be?" she asked, recovering from her falter with a grin.

Andy moved to the side so Lex could come closer, a smile on her face as well, keeping her voice at a level she knew everyone could hear. "This is my boyfriend, Lex." She turned her head to him. "Lex, this is my friend Rowena MacLeod."

"It's very nice to meet you Rowena," Lex said politely, shaking the woman’s hand and still ignoring Olivia's presence.

"You as well, Lex," Rowena replied sincerely.

"Wait," Dean said as they all took a seat, Rowena resuming her place between him and Sam on the couch, Lex taking up one of the empty arm chairs, and Andy deliberately choosing to sit across his lap. "You two are  _ friends _ ? Since when?"

"Since you and Sam asked me to help her out in Ireland last year," Andy explained.

"Yes," Rowena confirmed. "We became quite close during that little excursion."

"Excursion?" Lex inquired, not missing the faint  _ oh shit _ look in the others' eyes.

"Rowena works with us sometimes," Andy answered smoothly.

"Oh," Lex responded. "So what brings all of you here tonight?"

"I called to check on Andy earlier and got Seth," Castiel quickly said. "When he told me what had happened, I passed the information on to Sam and Dean and we all decided we needed to meet him and Justin. So, they invited us to come in."

"Olivia!" Justin called, pulling the woman's attention. "Your order?"

"Who the hell is that?" she harshly whispered at him.

"Which one?" Justin asked, feigning ignorance as he glanced at the group.

"The bitch in Lex's lap!" 

Her date glanced over to her with a furrowed brow at the sudden anger.

"Oh her!" Justin said excitedly. 

"Yes! Her!" Olivia growled.

"It's really not my place to divulge that information, Olivia. Now please,  _ your order _ ."

Olivia sneered at the hunter and rattled off a random item, scowling at him as he took her date's money and made their drinks. Justin rolled his eyes after he had handed over their coffees and watched Olivia lead her date to a table on the other side of the shop where she had a clear view of Lex and Andy. However, he rejoined his friends with a grin on his face, mouthing the words "I fucking love you" to Andy as he sat down on the armrest of the chair Seth was still in.

Seth sat smiling broadly as the group made small talk, ever so often casting a glance at Olivia who he swore had steam coming out of her ears as she watched Andy on Lex's lap with his arms wrapped around her middle, hers around his shoulders and letting her fingers play with the curls at the base of his neck. The mismatched group had all seemed to come to the unspoken and unanimous decision that they would all stay planted in their spots, talking like they were together every day of their lives, until Olivia either snapped or finally decided to leave. 

After the better part of an hour, Andy could feel Olivia's sanity teetering on edge and decided to take matters into her own hands. She caught Rowena's eye, and with a silent conversation none of the men caught on to, they both gave the other a subtle nod. Andy stood from Lex's lap and smiled when she saw the questioning look in his eyes.

"Just going to the ladies' room," she said, and bent to place a long kiss on his lips.

"I think I'll join you," Rowena said, getting to her feet.

The men watched suspiciously as the two women crossed the coffee shop and disappeared into the women's restroom.

"I wonder what they're up to," Sam mused.

He was quickly answered when Olivia hastily stood from her seat and headed straight for the same door Andy and Rowena had just passed through.

Lex reacted and made to stand from his chair when Sam reached over and placed a hand on his forearm.

"Trust me, Lex," the younger Winchester said. "Andy and Rowena are more than capable of fending for themselves."

* * *

Andy and Rowena stood leaning against the sink in front of the large mirror inside the women's restroom, both of them with their eyes on the door.

"Did Seth and Justin fill you in on who this chick is?" Andy asked.

"They gave us an abridged version," Rowena said. "How would you like to handle this?"

"Can you make her completely forget about Lex?"

"I can. I'll have to do it outside. The magic tends to work a little too well if it can't breathe."

Andy nodded her acknowledgement just as Olivia walked through the door. The woman seemed to completely miss, or disregard, that the other two had obviously been waiting on her and flashed Andy a fake smile.

"Hi!" Olivia started. "You don't know me—"

"I know exactly who you are, Olivia," Andy said calmly.

Olivia huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Well then you only know his side of the story!"

"All I need is his side." Andy's voice stayed undisturbed, but her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Olivia's reserve seemed to fray a fraction. "You should know he'll  _ never  _ commit to you! He's incapable of it!"

"We just moved in together," Andy fibbed. Olivia didn't need to know that wasn't really the truth.

"He's lying to you about what he does for a living!"

"We met at work."

"He'll cheat on you!"

"No, he won't."

Olivia's ire and jealousy grew with every calm response Andy gave, her sanity slowly cracking as she scrambled for more accusations. "You think you know him, but you don't!" Her voice became high and shrill. "He'll hurt you, too! I should know! He raped me!"

Andy's eyes darkened as she stepped forward into Olivia's personal space, the menacing tone to her voice when she spoke making the woman take a step back. "You listen here you crazy fucking bitch. Lex never fucking touched you in that manner. You simply couldn't handle that he didn't want your psychotic ass, so you jumped at the opportunity to hurt him as much as possible." Olivia opened her mouth to speak, but Andy continued. "Here's what's going to happen, and we can do it the easy way or the hard way. You are going to walk out of this coffee shop and you are never going to bother Lex or anyone he knows in anyway  _ ever _ again."

"Or what?!" Olivia challenged.

"This isn't multiple choice," Andy told her. "You're doing it. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Lex is taken and you're just going to have to get over it."

The fury inside Olivia finally bubbled over and she lunged for Andy with a shrill growl. Years of combat training mixed with real life experience made it easy for Andy to anticipate the clumsy and poorly thought-out attack. In a fraction of a second, she sidestepped the woman hurtling herself forwards and grabbed her by the arm, swinging her around to crash her chest into the wall. She twisted Olivia’s arm behind her back and forced it up towards the center of her shoulders. Andy finished off the move by tangling her hand in the other woman's hair and gripping tightly, pulling her head backwards to look down into her face as she whimpered in pain.

"I had a feeling you were going to choose the hard way," Andy said.

"You're hurting me!" Olivia screamed.

"Well it isn't supposed to feel good, bitch." Andy turned her head to Rowena, Olivia's feeble attempt at wriggling free not even phasing her. "You mind getting the door, Row? I think it's time we took the trash out."

"Of course," Rowena said and smiled proudly as she crossed and opened the door for Andy, following the woman out while she escorted Olivia into the main room of the coffee shop.

Having heard Olivia scream, her date and the rest of the men in the shop had already started to make their way towards the women's restroom. But every one of them stopped cold in their tracks with mouths hanging agape when Andy walked out still holding painfully tight onto Olivia while Rowena trailed closely behind with the same delighted grin on her face.

"Seth! Justin!" Olivia whined, still trying and failing miserably to break free from Andy. "Do something!"

Seth and Justin shared a quick look and, with a nod of agreement, Justin hurriedly made his way to the front entrance to open the door.

Andy gave him a quick wink before she turned to the man Olivia came in with. "Your date is leaving. I suggest you follow." Without waiting for a response, she guided the woman the rest of the way to the exit with Rowena behind her.

"We'll be right back boys," Rowena called over her shoulder as they went through the open door.

Olivia's date glanced at the other men. "Right… well… um…" he stuttered, and then scurried away out of the shop.

The remaining occupants stood with their mouths still hanging open, gazing at where the four had made their quick exit.

"Well that just happened," Seth said with a chuckle.

Justin let the door close and made his way to Lex, wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulders. "Lex," he started.

"Yeah?" Lex responded as he dragged his gaze over to him.

Justin pointed at the front entrance. "You marry that girl! You marry her now!"

* * *

"Are they gonna be alright?" Andy asked as she peered into the open driver's side door of Olivia's date's car where the two sat silently with blank stares on their faces.

"They will be fine," Rowena assured her and came to stand next to her. "The magic takes a second to work its way completely through the brain. They will come to in a few minutes with no memory of the incident in the coffee shop or of Lex. Though, after hearing the whole story from you, I wish you would let me do a little more. A bad luck curse would suit her just fine."

Andy laughed, hooking her arm with the witch's and beginning to make their way back to their friends. "Even if she does deserve that and more, I really don't think Lex would want her hurt. He just wants her to stay out of his life and we've made sure of that."

"It won't hurt her… well… not at first."

"No, Row."

"Fine!" Rowena said with an exaggerated huff of exasperation. "Bloody hell, this whole not being the villain thing is boring sometimes."

"You love it, and us."

"Maybe. Don't tell Sam and Dean...or the handsome angel."

"Your secret's safe with me."

"Anyway," Rowena said. "Did you really move in with Lex?"

"No. Our apartments are in the same building, but that's as close as it gets and, well… We've spent every night together since I've been in the states except for the very first night. But, technically, we were only apart for like four hours because he didn't drop me off at my place until close to one in the morning."

"And he has no idea that you're a hunter?" Rowena asked in disbelief. "Even after what happened in Providence and you miraculously healing from a stab wound?"

"I think he's just choosing not to ask questions," Andy admitted. "He a computer hacker for the CIA, Row. He knows something is going on with all of us. But he also knows there are some answers I can't give him because of our jobs."

"That sounds like a recipe for disaster, especially with him looking the way he does."

Andy turned her head towards the witch as they continued to walk, her brow furrowed in question. "What do you mean?"

"Did Sam, Dean, and Castiel not tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"That Lex looks exactly like the Archangel, Gabriel, or rather he looks like his vessel that Loki made for him. Gabriel pretended to be Loki for centuries, so he needed to look like him."

Andy abruptly halted her steps and turned to fully look at the witch. "He looks like who now?"

"Loki," Rowena responded calmly. "Did they really not tell you?"

"This is the first time I'm hearing about it. What does it mean?"

"Castiel doesn't think it means anything except that he may be a distant descendant of the god. Lex probably has no idea. Castiel says he's completely human."

"I agree that he probably has no clue," Andy said, her brain working through it all. "I don't know about it not meaning anything, though. Justin is a descendant of Eir. You know as well as I do how rare that is, and there are  _ two _ sitting right there." They had made it to the window of the coffee shop and Andy indicated Justin and Lex with a slight gesture of her head.

"Stranger things have happened," Rowena said matter of factly. "Our friendship for one." She sighed when she saw the uncertain look in her friend's eyes. "I honestly don't think it means anything, but we will keep an open eye for anything out of the ordinary." Andy reluctantly nodded. "Oh, and go easy on those three. They really didn't think it was something worth mentioning."

After Andy promised to not be too hard on them, the two women entered the establishment. Their friends had all resumed their positions in the corner and turned expectant eyes on them as they walked over. Rowena sat back between Sam and Dean, and Andy took a seat on the armrest of Lex's chair.

"So, do we need to hide a body?" Seth asked.

"Oh no," Rowena said with a smile. "But the woman will no longer be bothering any of you."

"We convinced her to forget about Lex," Andy added, shooting Rowena a smile.

"How?" Lex asked.

"Row and I can be very persuasive," Andy said, and placed a quick kiss on Lex's lips. 

"You know what," Lex said. "I'm just gonna say thank you and be done with it." He turned his attention to Justin. "I should really get started on your guys' computer. I still have some work to do when I get home."

Justin agreed and the two of them made their way to the back office where Lex took a seat at the large desk against the side wall of the small room.

"Thanks for doing this, Lex," Justin said, watching his friend boot up the desktop computer.

"It's not a problem," Lex assured him. "It shouldn't take me long."

"And uh, sorry if I interrupted anything earlier. You could have just called back when you were done."

Lex laughed as he turned, smirking at Justin. "Yeah, I tried that. Then you called four more times. I figured it might be important."

"I was worried!" Justin admitted. "A lot happened today and then you didn't answer your phone!"

"It's alright, man." Lex turned back to the computer. "Besides, it was round three you interrupted."

"Damn, dude!"

"Where's the disk?" Lex asked, changing the subject with a smile still on his face.

After getting Lex everything he needed, Justin went back to join the group of hunters and their meeting began.

"So is everyone up to speed so far?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Seth said. "Andy told me what happened in Providence, I told Justin, and Cas explained about the blade."

"The question is, where do we go from here?" Andy inquired. "We really don't know enough to make a plan of attack."

"I have a few spells I can work on the blade to try and get a name for the demon," Rowena said.

"And if that doesn't work?" Dean asked.

"Then we'll have to return to Rhode Island," Castiel said.

"All of us?" Justin asked.

"At least Andy and I," Rowena said. "I'll have to perform a tracking spell that utilizes the location, Andy, and the blade."

"Yeah, we'll all be going if it comes to that," Dean said. "Have you heard anything from Frankie, Andy?"

"Not since the hospital, but he's not supposed to check in again until Sunday. He would have called if he found anything."

"This probably isn't going to go over well," Rowena started cautiously. “But I think, especially with Lex being in the mix and not knowing anything, it might be best if he and Andy continued to lie low until we can find some more information. The wardings on your apartments are strong, however with that curse being on you, it might be best if you went somewhere else for a few days."

Andy sighed as she leaned back in her chair. "You're right. But I don't have any safehouses near here and Lex just went back to work today."

"We have one over in Bentonville," Justin offered. "It's a little over an hour east of here. You're welcome to use it. Hell, we'll go with you. I know I'd feel better if we were all together."

"That's a good idea," Dean agreed. "Sam, Cas, Rowena, and I can rent a place close by. That way we can be there quickly if something happens."

"Guys," Andy interjected. "What about Lex? He can't just take more time off of work."

"It'll be the weekend," Sam reminded her. "Tomorrow's Friday. Talk to Gage and Joshua. I'm sure they can come up with something if he already doesn't have the weekend off."

"We'll invite you guys and say it's just a couples’ getaway for the weekend," Seth said.

"I guess that works," Andy said reluctantly, but she just couldn't seem to shake the bad feeling rising within her. "I'll talk to Gage in the morning."

* * *

Lex had installed everything for Seth and Justin's computer relatively quickly, and all that was left was to set the passwords for certain functions. For the life of him, he couldn't remember the combination the couple normally used. However, he knew where they kept the small notepad they were written down on. He felt underneath the desk he was seated at and soon touched what he was looking for. With the small key plucked from its hiding place, he inserted it into the keyhole on the drawer to his left.

The notepad was the first thing he saw and he reached in to grab it, but he didn't see that the small book of paper was snagged on another notebook. As a result, when he pulled it out the scratch pad underneath came out as well and tumbled to the floor, falling open as it did.

"Crap," Lex muttered under his breath and bent to retrieve it. 

He froze, his eyes going round as he caught the words scrawled on the paper in what he knew was Seth's handwriting. All he could do was stare down at them. Seth couldn’t possibly know about that, could he? Yet here it was in black and white, written across the top of the page:

_ Men of Letters _

Beneath the name of the order Joshua had told him to look into were two names that sent red flags popping up in his mind:

_ Sam and Dean Winchester _


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: smut, talk of graphic violence

Throughout his years of working for the CIA, Lex had developed the ability of staying calm, even when just below the surface he was well and truly freaking out. So when he entered the main room of the coffee shop, obviously walking into a conversation he wasn't intended to be a part of by how everyone stopped talking the second they saw him, neither his friends nor his girlfriend caught on to the fact that he had just seen something that he wasn't supposed to.. Sam and Dean had no idea that he was now more suspicious of them than he had ever been—even Castiel seemed not to have noticed.

He rejoined the group with a smile, placing a kiss on Andy's cheek and pulling her into his lap where she had been seated before. He participated in the small talk and when it was time to leave, he said his farewells to Seth and Justin as he always did. He even went so far as to accept the invitation they extended for him and Andy to accompany them to their cabin in Bentonville that weekend.

However, on the walk back to the apartment building with his hand laced with Andy's, he grew quiet, something that didn't go unnoticed by the woman at his side who regarded him with a mix of concern and anxiety. The silence between them remained until the elevator doors slid shut.

"Are you OK?" Andy asked as Lex pressed the button for the seventh floor.

He turned to her, and for a moment considered telling her what was really on his mind. Instead, he reached out to wrap his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. "I'm fine, babe," he assured her with a smile and a kiss. "Just tired. It's been a long day."

"We can go to bed as soon as we get back to your place if you want," she offered, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"That sounds great, but I still have some work to do and I'm starving."

"Well, then I'll make you something when we get up there. What work do you have to do?

"Just some stuff Joshua wanted me to look into. It shouldn't take me long." At least he hoped it wouldn't. Honestly, he hoped he would find absolutely nothing of importance and figure out that it was just some joke Joshua was playing on him for being so paranoid. Of course, he knew that didn't sound like Joshua.

Watching Andy make a simple dinner for him when they got to his apartment lifted Lex's spirits exponentially. The extra effort she put into her actions to make him laugh because she had realized he was down brought a genuine smile back to his face. He fell into a fit of laughter when she acted like she was on a cooking show while making a box of macaroni and cheese, only to have the water boil all over the stovetop because she got caught up in kissing him.

They both ended up unable to control their guffawing when one side of the grilled cheeses she attempted to make was burnt black because Lex distracted her by kissing on her neck and nibbling at her ear lobe. After catching her breath, Andy flipped the sandwich in an attempt to "at least make one side golden brown." He was met with a spatula playfully pointed at his chest when he tried to pull her in his arms again. She told him his lips were distracting her, trying and failing to keep a straight face, but she made no attempt to stop him when he took the cooking utensil from her hand and drew her body against his.

After that, he happily shared completely charred grilled cheeses and mushy macaroni and cheese with Andy for dinner.

When they had finished eating, Andy took their plates and glasses to the sink, rinsing them off in one side of the sink before she placed them in hot soapy water she had run on the opposite side. Lex joined her in the kitchen, intent on helping her clean up. He took the pot, still covered with cheese on the inside, and placed it in her water.

"What are you doing?!" she asked with wide eyes and a high pitched voice.

"Um… helping?"

"By putting a pot covered in liquid cheese in my clean dishwater?!"

Lex bit back the chuckle threatening to spill from his lips as he looked from her to the water, and back. "All the dishes in there are dirty. We haven't washed them yet."

"You have to rinse the crap off of them before you put them in the water!"

"Why?" Lex asked, not daring to comment on how adorable she looked freaking out over the domestic chore. "It's not like you stick them back in the water after you wash them."

She stared at him completely dumbfounded for a second. "Because it's gross!"

He couldn't hold it back anymore. He had to brace himself against the counter he was laughing so hard. With his head thrown back and eyes squeezed shut, he didn't notice her aiming the sink sprayer in his direction until the water hit him square in the chest. He instantly sobered and looked down at himself in disbelief. After a beat, he raised his head to meet her cheeky grin with a mischievous smirk.

"Did you just spray me?" he asked.

"I did. Whaddya gonna do about it, hacker boy?" She shot another stream of water at him.

"Oh, it's on!" he exclaimed and propelled himself forward.

She squealed with delight as he wrapped himself around her, trying to get the sprayer from her grasp. She was able to spray him in the face once more before his hand wrapped around hers, keeping the button on the device pressed and turning the torrent of water, making it cascade down her chest. Andy yelped when it assaulted her skin, trying to wiggle out of his hold. However her laughter hindered her, and because she also wasn’t really fighting that hard, Lex had her pinned against the cabinet with his body within a few minutes, holding her wrists to the counter with his hands. The sink sprayer bungeed back into its place as it dropped from their hold, and their eyes met.

Quickly their laughter died out as a new yet familiar feeling set in. Water dripped from both of them, both their chests heaving and pressing together. A thrill of excitement buzzed in the air, and he used one of his hands to skim it up her arm so he could weave his fingers into her damp hair.

"We should get these wet clothes off," he suggested, his voice low and husky with arousal.

"What about the work you have to do?"

"You're more important," he said and crashed his lips to hers.

His hands then dropped to her thighs, picking her up and coaxing her legs around his waist. Their lips never parted as he carried her to the bedroom.

* * *

It was well over an hour later when Lex and Andy laid tangled together in his bed, feeling more than sated. They shared lazy kisses, blankets covering their naked bodies as they enjoyed the afterglow of their lovemaking. 

"You're amazing, Lex," Andy said, trailing a finger down one of his sideburns and along his jawline.

He grinned and pressed their lips together. "It's all part of that whole 'making you fall for me' plan."

She chuckled lightly and nuzzled his nose with hers. "It's working. You gonna catch me?"

"Promised I would, and I always keep my promises." Lex held her in his arms, showering her with his affection until she drifted off to sleep. 

He hated having to slip out of the bed right after, pulling on a pair of sleep pants. While his night with Andy had been perfect, there were still things he needed to attend to for his own sanity. He just hoped said sanity was still intact when he was done. He quietly made his way out of the bedroom, softly closing the door behind him, also stopping to hastily clean up his kitchen before he retreated into his office.

He sat at his desk waiting for his computer to start up, wondering if he really wanted to do this. As much as he wanted answers, he couldn't help but feel that getting them would change everything, and he wasn't sure he was ready for that.

With a heavy sigh, he started typing away on his keyboard. After a few dead-end searches through the vast expanse of the internet, he finally found a single page buried deep in what appeared to be a conspiracy theorist wonderland. 

_ The Men of Letters _

_ Preceptors, observers, beholders, chroniclers of mysteries not easily explainable or known to men. _

_ The order was identified with the crest of the Aquarian Star, a six-pointed sign that represents great magic and power and was linked to the gates of Atlantis. The order was led by elders, who held their most protected secrets. Members of the order were ordained through the paternal line of their family. Despite the name of the order, members are not gender-specific, as one of their initiates was female, although the majority of them were men. _

_ Disbandment: August 12, 1958 _

Lex raised a skeptical brow at the words in front of him. This couldn't possibly be what Joshua had wanted him to find. Could it? Considering he really didn't have any other options, he used his unique skills to dive into the inner workings of the website to try and find where the information had originated from. The site was much more encrypted than he had anticipated, and after half an hour of working through firewall after firewall, he stumbled upon what he assumed was the name of the page's creator:  _ Charlie B. _

That's when everything went to hell.

Lex’s hard drive started spinning, his speakers started emitting a high pitched beeping, and his screen went black except for one single sentence written in neon green, digital block lettering:

_ Thou must defeat the beast to get the gold. <3  _

The words faded away as binary code started to rain down from the top of the screen and a progress bar appeared in the center. Lex's mouth dropped open in utter disbelief. 

A virus was being uploaded into his computer!

"I don't think so, Charlie B.!" Lex said and furiously started tapping the keys on his keyboard.

It took him some time. Even he had to admit that this Charlie was a worthy adversary, but Lex managed to circumvent the virus that had attempted to hijack his system. However, he didn't have long to pat himself on the back before he found himself staring at a file-shaped icon simply labeled: MOL. 

He took a deep breath and clicked, and a document opened which he started to read.

_ Men of Letters had been active beginning at an unspecified point in time. It was known that by 1958, they possessed a significant number of members, as well as weapons and locations that were powerful… _

_ At some point between the late 17th century and their destruction, they used their political power to destroy the Grand Coven's power by whipping the church into a frenzy, causing many of the Grand Coven's best members to be burned at the stake or forced into hiding… _

_ The Men of Letters took the Coven's best spells and potions and hid them in their bunkers across the world… _

The words went on naming members from the order along with their positions. Some just listed their activities or exploits. 

_ Larry Ganem, David Ackers, Ted Bowen… Elders. _

_ Markham… senior member... chief. _

_ Cuthbert Sinclair… Master of Spells… warded bunkers… expelled _

_ Father Max Thompson… priest… cured a demon. _

_ Clifford Henshaw, Delphine Seydoux... operatives… hand of God... _

_ initiates Henry Winchester and Josie Sands were sent to investigate events in St. Bonaventure Convent… successfully exorcised all demons. _

_ Abbadon, Knight of Hell infiltrated… _

The list went on and on. Lex wasn't sure what to make of the information spelled out before him. It told of witches, spells, and demons like they were…  _ real _ . This all had to be a monumentally fucked up joke! Yet, he couldn't stop. He stumbled onto a section dedicated to…  _ monsters?! _ His mouth hung open as his eyes drank in the words.

_ Monsters are the children and descendants of Eve and other supernatural creatures. Although referring to many different species, some share a point of origin and traits. They are supernatural creatures with extraordinary strength and powers and abilities. They commonly prey upon humans. _

_ Alphas _

_ These are the supreme monsters, due to them being the very first of their species, which means they greatly outclass all of their children in terms of strength and abilities no matter how powerful their children are. They are very rare, which means the majority of hunters have never met one, nor will ever. _

  
  


_ Known Alphas _

_ Alpha Vampire - deceased - edit made by S.W. 2017 _

_ Alpha Shapeshifter - deceased - edit made by S.W. 2013 _

_ Alpha Werewolf - location unknown _

_ Alpha Skinwalker - location unknown _

_ Alpha Djinn - location unknown _

  
  


_ Elite Monsters _

_ These monsters are of the strongest type down from the Alphas, either by being physically stronger than the rest, having extremely powerful abilities, or are so unique and rare that they are near impossible to find. _

  
  


_ Dragon - A very rare race of monsters that have not been heard of for over 700 years. Most men of the order dismiss their existence as purely fictional. Only a select few know otherwise, and even they believe the beasts to be extinct. They are similar to the traditional dragons in lore, but, whilst in confined spaces, they appear more like humanoid creatures rather than the winged beasts shown in traditional art. There are descriptions of them appearing as giant bat-like creatures when in their true forms. _

_ Dragons are attracted to gold and they traditionally live in caves, but they make homes or hideouts in sewers when there are no caves to hide in. In addition, it seems that dragons also are attracted to female human virgins and it's implied they eat them. This, however, has never been confirmed. Dragons are also sentient and intelligent, to the point where they're capable of practicing magic. They are also social creatures who often work with members of their own kind. Although intelligent, they are often very brutal when facing opponents and, like almost all monsters, have no regard for human life. _

_ Phoenix _

_ Powerful creatures who appear human, and are very rare in existence. Much like dragons, they are believed to be mythical.  _

_ They have the power to burn anyone into ash with a simple touch of its hand. Even though a Phoenix is immortal and powerful, it's still vulnerable to iron like many other supernatural creatures. _

_ Edit by S.W. 2013 - One account of a Phoenix was recorded, confirmed, and terminated in 1861 by S. Winchester and D. Winchester. _

_ Jefferson Starship (added by D.W. 2013) _

_ A monster hybrid created by Eve as a test subject to see if she could create the ultimate supernatural predator. They had the teeth of vampires and the spike of a wraith. They could also shapeshift into whomever they want. Species brought into extinction by D. Winchester, S. Winchester, R. Singer, and Castiel. _

Lex’s head started to spin with the detailed descriptions.

_ Common Monsters _

_ These monsters are significantly weaker than the elite or their respective Alphas. _

_ Arachnes - ...creature that can create strong webs like normal spiders can do… can trap their victims with ease… capable of changing humans into arachnes by biting them… kill humans with poisoning through their bites… feed upon human flesh… due to their multiple eyes, their field of vision is split into several images… bear some physical resemblance to spiders, such as their white eyes with large sky-blue irises and black pupils, and their crusty skin… can appear like normal humans. _

_ Djinn - ...race of supernatural cave-dwelling hermits that have the power to produce powerful hallucinations inside the minds of humans… humanoid creatures with tattooed skin that prefer to live in large ruins with a lot of places to hide... feed on human blood and can poison their victims with a touch… poison can be used either to kill their victims quickly or to leave victims in a coma-like state while the djinn feeds… depicted in the Quran as beings with powers… able to read a person's mind to learn their deepest desires… do not truly grant wishes… causes hallucinations so powerful that the immobilized victim thinks he or she is actually living in the reality the Djinn implanted. _

_ Kitsunes - ...very rare and uncommon… feed on the pituitary gland… look like human beings but have the ability to partially shapeshift themselves into animal-like (fox) qualities… primary weapon is their claws… can extend claws from their fingertips upon demand… if they are feeding or attacking, their eyeballs turn yellow and fox-like while the pupils narrow… take on a very similar appearance as a werewolf does. _

_ Lamia - ...little information is known… rarely seen outside of Greece… look like normal women that seduce young human men… squeeze their victims' hearts and suck their blood… transform into a non-human form… consists of large claws and a fierce roar. _

_ Sirens - ...can take different forms, along with their venom, to lure and compel humans to perform drastic acts to prove their love and devotion… acts are usually destructive or violent… result in deaths… rarely seen outside of Greece… true form is that of an ugly, hairless, vaguely-humanoid monstrosity with gaunt, inhuman facial features… transforms into a person that matches their victims' desires… In ancient times, they lived on islands and forced sailors to chase them, driving their ships onto the rocks. _

_ Soul Eaters - ...ancient spiritual entities that live in another dimension and feed on human souls… humanoid with a long black cloak… distorted face and black empty eyes… live in an inter-mundi, pocket-dimension outside of space and time as we know it… drag human souls out of the physical world, and into their "nest"... souls that are dragged to their nest cannot escape and will be trapped forever, even after the victim's eventual death. _

_ Vampires - ...a race of blood-drinking supernatural creatures that were once human… All originate from the Alpha Vampire...They live forever… mate for life... diet is based strictly on blood… prefer human blood… must keep their victims alive or else their blood becomes toxic… only be killed by beheading… sunlight only mild inconvenience. _

_ Werewolves - ...also known as Lycanthropes… partially-human supernatural creatures, able to morph into a combination of human and wolf...They feed on prey found nearby… mostly human… always eat the heart… transformation only occurs after one bites a victim, the way werewolves continue the spread of lycanthropy… they are also capable of having children who are born werewolves… their bodies change rapidly, changing into a fitting definition of predators… nails increase to sharp, long claws, fangs increase in size and eyes resemble those of a wolf… some of those who are bitten don't survive the change and the timing of the change can range from the next full moon to anytime at all with purebloods. _

The list of names for the different beasts was long, and for a brief moment, a part of him was worried it wasn't going to end.

_ Ghoul _

_ Nachzehrer _

_ Ōkami _

_ Pishtaco _

_ Rawhead _

_ Rugaru _

_ Skinwalker _

_ Spirits _

_ Vetala _

_ Wendigo _

_ Wraith _

_ Banshee _

_ Bisaan _

_ Changeling _

_ Crocotta _

_ Musca _

_ Qareen _

_ Rakshasa _

The section on demons made his stomach twist and churn, threatening to spill the contents. The details on angels—ACTUAL ANGELS—had him questioning his entire belief system.

There was no way  _ any _ of this was real!

However, when he reached a part dedicated to a certain creature, the wheels in his head started turning, comparing what he had seen in Rhode Island to what he was reading…

_ Shapeshifters - These creatures have been encountered by many an order member. They are human-like creatures that start out human, but later learn how to change their form to look like anyone they want. When exactly they learn is not consistent. Some can learn from infancy, while others do not learn until much later in their lives. Due to starting off as humans, shapeshifters can have human urges and vices, such as greed, lust, etc. They are also arguably the most human monsters there are. Due to having human impulses and desires, shapeshifters are not driven by instinct like vampires and werewolves and commit their acts by choice. _

_ When a shapeshifter takes the shape of the person they choose, they shed their skin, teeth, and nails. When they change into the person's physical appearance, they access the thoughts of the person they are mimicking. Some shapeshifters are known to change their shape in a matter of seconds while others are known to take up to several hours. They can also take the forms of fictional characters or inhuman characteristics, such as vampire fangs or werewolf claws. Some shapeshifters have displayed the ability to seamlessly shift into whoever they want without shedding their skin, similar to their Alpha.  _

_ In videos and cameras, a shifter's eyes will be a glowing silver-gold color. This particular tell will commonly be misconstrued as a camera flare to the untrained. They can be killed by a silver bullet or silver blade to the heart. Injuries caused by silver are incredibly painful to them while contact with a silver object will burn a shapeshifter and can be used as a method of identification of one. Other methods to terminate are decapitation and heart extraction. _

Lex's breath caught in his throat. He felt as if his heart had stopped beating. All the camera flares he had seen. Andy going to the governor's house with  _ silver _ heels on her feet, a  _ silver  _ chain belt around her hips, and a  _ silver _ necklace around her neck. So much  _ silver _ on her, and she had returned to the house later that night, looking like she had been in a fight, with not a single piece remaining in her possession. Her shoes were even gone! 

He tried to bargain with himself—convince himself—into believing that it was all one big coincidence as he continued to a section dedicated to  _ Magical Symbols and Warding.  _ He had almost succeeded in doing so until he scrolled past a certain symbol. He recognized it immediately from where he’d seen it just that night on his girlfriend’s hip. 

Except the words under the pentacle surrounded by a pinwheel of flame didn't say it was for protection. 

_ Anti-possession Symbol - Used to ward off demonic possession. It features a pentagram, or endless knot, which is the reason why it protects those who wear this symbol. _

Was Andy really mixed up in all this? Was he really starting to consider that  _ any _ of this ridiculousness was real? Was she fighting these things? Why was he even asking these questions?! Of course,  _ none of it could be true!  _ He should just shut down his computer, crawl back into bed with his girlfriend, and forget that he had  _ ever _ seen  _ any _ of this.

But, he didn't stop.

When he had reached the end of the document where the information on the Chapter Houses was held, he saw a link at the bottom of the page that said:  _ British Men of Letters. _

He knew that he shouldn't open that can of worms.  _ Knew _ that he should be holding Andy against him while they slept, not diving deeper into this god-forsaken rabbit hole.

He clicked on the link.

Most of the information was the same, except they were still a functioning order. They had eradicated any and all supernatural creatures from Britain, and they kept insanely detailed notes on two brothers and their angel, who had apparently rained down hell on their heads after they tried to kill off the American hunters. The names of these three? Ones he had heard before and quite recently. Names that were all over edits for the document he had finished reading prior. Names that he had suspicions of belonging to the three FBI agents that seemed set on staying close to Andy.

_ Sam Winchester. Dean Winchester. Castiel. _

When he scrolled past the names and read through the feats that these men had accomplished, things he was sure the British Men of Letters put their own spin on, he finally stumbled upon a set of pictures, one for each of the names.

And just like that, every hope he had for none of this being true shattered.

Lex couldn't take anymore. His brain felt like it could explode, his emotions fighting over which got dealt with first. He shut everything down, staring at his now black screen for a moment before he scrubbed his hands down his face. What was he supposed to do from here? Confront Andy? Make her tell him everything? Hunt down Sam, Dean, and Castiel? Call Seth and Justin and demand why they had those things written down? What did they even have to do with all of this?

His logical brain finally started to speak up, telling him that Andy was ordered to be silent about all of this for a reason. But now he knew that he should have listened when she told him it was better for him not to know. His basic survival instinct told him he should get as far away from this insanity as possible, and as fast as he could. Yet another part of him, a bigger piece that drowned out the urge to run, was telling him to stay. He was in love with her and had promised her he wasn't going anywhere. He couldn't, no,  _ wouldn't _ walk away from her now. The question still remained, however: What was he supposed to do with all of this information?

He would deal with it tomorrow.

Joshua had been the one to send him down this path, and Joshua would be the one he would talk to about it. Tonight, he had a beautiful, naked woman in his bed that he loved, and he wanted nothing more than to hold her sleeping form against him while he, too,  _ tried _ to fall asleep.

So that's exactly what he did.

* * *

_ Berlin, Germany _

Frankie walked into the dimly lit restaurant sore and exhausted from his twenty-seven-hour drive. He cursed his contact internally when he realized how upscale the establishment was and saw the hostess staring at him like he had sprouted a second head right in front of her. Honestly, he really couldn't fault the woman for her reaction. He hadn't showered in days, the dark circles under his hazel eyes probably made them resemble black eyes at this point, and the beat-up backpack he shouldered was dirty. He was suddenly very thankful he was wearing all black because he was fairly certain he still had dried vampire blood on his clothes and ball cap. Attempting a friendly smile, Frankie approached the hostess stand, fighting the urge to roll his eyes when the woman's hand hovered over the gray cordless phone.

"Wir haben keine Tische ohne Reservierung zur Verfügung," she said quickly and sternly.

Normally, Frankie could get by with the basic knowledge he knew of the German language, however at the moment he was too exhausted and annoyed to even try. "English?"

The hostess scoffed and rolled her eyes. He had to bite back a laugh when he thought about how Andy would have reacted to this rude woman.

"I said," she stated in a curt tone. "We have no tables available without a reservation."

"Well," Frankie said, matching her sharp incentive with a condescending edge. "Luckily I'm meeting someone who made a reservation."

The woman sneered and looked down at a list in front of her on the surface of the hostess stand. "Name."

"Carl Spence."

"Follow me," she huffed as she grabbed a menu and started walking.

Frankie followed the rude hostess to a table in the far back corner of the room, ignoring the stares from the other patrons. The table was occupied by a man in an expensive gray suit with a menu hiding his face. He didn't even acknowledge the woman hastily placing the menu in front of the empty chair at the table. When she walked away, Frankie shook his head as he took his seat.

"You could have told me this place had a dress code," Frankie grumbled, not bothering to pick up his menu.

"And you could have showered," the man across from him said in a British accent. He lowered his menu and placed it on the table, revealing a smirking Arthur Ketch.

"When exactly was I supposed to do that, Ketch?" Frankie grumbled.

"Yes, I suppose having vampires on your tail makes that a tad difficult," Ketch said with an exasperated sigh. "Their numbers have grown again, by the way."

"How many are there now?!"

"Counting Ramone, thirteen."

"Ramone is the dick in the fedora that jumped me in Egypt?"

"Yes," Ketch confirmed as an expression Frankie had never seen on the man crept into his features. "My condolences for Liam and Stacy. It couldn't have been easy seeing Ramone—"

"I'd rather not talk about it," Frankie snapped. "They made their choice."

Ketch nodded tersely, letting the subject drop. "Our flight leaves tonight. We should be in DC by late Sunday morning."

"Why so long?!" Frankie demanded. "I'm supposed to check in with Andy by nine a.m. her time Sunday morning, and some of those damn fangers could already be stateside!!"

"What do you expect?!" Ketch said, a perturbed look settling into his features. "We can't exactly fly commercial, and we can't very well call Director Gage to commandeer us a couple plane tickets. I've called in favors in order to get us both to the States on such short notice." He sighed, doing his best to push the annoyance out of his voice. "We will get to her, Frankie. We do have the advantage of still being six hours ahead of them. That could work in our favor."

A strangled sigh fell from Frankie's lips as his hands scrubbed down his face, his exhaustion chipping away at his normally collected exterior. He knew Ketch was grasping at straws with the time difference thing. "If anything happens to her—"

" _ Nothing _ is going to happen to her. Alexandria is one of the most competent hunters I have ever met and she has the Winchesters and Castiel with her. Personally, I feel sorry for the monster that attempts anything."

Frankie raised an uncertain brow at the Englishman in front of him. "Did you just... _ compliment _ them?"

"I'm gentleman enough to admit when I have been wrong about a certain individual."

"You tried to kill all of us," Frankie shot back flatly.

"And yet, here we sit about to have a meal together." Ketch rolled his eyes at the incredulous look still in his companion's eyes. "What do you want me to say? New leaf and all that. The Winchesters  _ apparently _ have that effect on people."

"So does being put on the British Men of Letters’ shit list."

"Yes, well, worked out in your favor."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Frankie's mouth. "You know Andy is probably gonna try and shoot you again."

Ketch absentmindedly rubbed the side of his left thigh with his hand. "I'm hoping showing up with you will deter the bullets."

"Probably won't," Frankie replied honestly. After a beat, another thought occurred to him. "You said you might have a name."

Ketch sobered as a grimness set about him. "Yes, and you aren't going to like it."

"I didn't like being chased by vampires because some demon is on a power trip."

"Frankie," Ketch began slowly. "I have reason to believe that it's Ajal."

Frankie's stomach twisted and turned, the color draining from his face. Surely he had heard the man wrong. There was no way. 

Or was there?

"Ketch, I know how much I'm asking here, but… I gotta get there sooner. If it's really him… if he's broken out of whatever box Crowely locked him up in…"

Ketch nodded as he sighed. He knew what it could mean for Andy if it really was Ajal that was after her, especially with the former King of Hell now deceased. 

"Let me make a few calls and see what I can do," Ketch said and picked up his phone from the table.

* * *

_ Langley, Virginia _

While it may have been near lunchtime in Berlin, the sun was just beginning to rise over Virginia. Lex's alarm was still a ways from going off, but he had awoken a few minutes ago from a restless sleep. He still had his arms around Andy with her back snugly against his chest, and he softly nuzzled his face into her hair as she slept peacefully in his embrace. The thoughts stampeding through his mind had kept him awake long after he had curled up with her the night before and they were the first thing to invade his consciousness the moment his eyes opened. 

Monsters, ghosts, demons, and angels...  _ might be real _ .

The naked woman in his arms that he had fallen so hard for… _may_ _fight them._

His friends… the two men who he considered family...

Her friends… could possibly be… they could  _ all _ be… what was the word he kept seeing? 

_ Hunters. _

As if she could sense his growing anxiety and his need for a distraction, Andy started to stir, groaning at the sun now starting to flow in from the window behind the bed. An involuntary smile spread across his face. She just looked so cute, pressing herself closer to him and pulling the blanket over her head. He dipped his head under the cover and kissed her just below her ear.

"Good morning, beautiful."

"Mmm," she hummed happily, his greeting turning her mood. "Good morning, handsome." She pulled the blankets down to her shoulders and turned her head to kiss his lips.

His lips started to travel up her jawline to her ear, where he took the lobe into his mouth and nibbled softly before he continued down her neck to her bare shoulder, smiling into her skin when she shivered.

"Wanna make it a really good morning?" he asked as his hand slid up her torso to cup her breast, massaging the tender flesh and pulling a soft moan from her.

"I do love morning sex," she told him, rocking her hips back into his growing erection.

With a sly grin on his face, he quickly rolled her onto her back and dove beneath the covers to place his mouth between her thighs.

* * *

Lex slipped Andy's keys into the pocket of his pajama pants after locking the door to her apartment and started walking towards the elevator with her work clothes laid neatly over his arm. After their morning activities, the heavy thoughts he had woken up with had been temporarily pushed to the back of his mind and he was determined to keep them there, at least until he could speak with Joshua.

He pressed the call button for the elevator and waited patiently at the sound of the machine whirring to life. There was a soft ding as the doors slid open and Lex started when he saw the man standing in the far corner of the tiny room wearing dark clothing, his head bent at an angle so that the gray fedora he wore covered his face. Lex shook his head at himself and entered the elevator, pressing the seven button before he moved to the opposite corner. He felt a chill run up his spine when the man across from him took in a slow deep breath and exhaled shakily.

Was he…  _ sniffing the air _ ? 

No. He was just breathing. Wasn't he? However, Lex still heard warning bells blaring in his head. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was  _ something _ not right about the man he was sharing the elevator with. 

"Good morning," the man drawled, shattering through Lex's thoughts.

Lex snapped his head in his direction as the man raised his head to reveal chestnut brown curls peeking out from the bottom of his hat and dark mahogany brown eyes with the pupils blown so wide the color was just a thin circle. 

"Uh... morning," Lex said. Everything inside of him was screaming for him to get as far away from this man as fast as he could.

The elevator made another soft ding when they reached his floor and the doors slid open. Lex practically sprinted as he exited, trying to ignore the fact that he definitely heard the man sniff the air again as he passed. Why he did it, he wasn't sure. But, at the last second, he turned just in time to see the man giving him a smile that turned his stomach as he tipped his hat to him.

Lex blinked at the now closed elevator doors in shocked astonishment. What the fuck was that all about? He shook his head and turned to walk down the hallway to his apartment. Great, he was paranoid now.

He did his best to push the paranoia down as he let himself into his home, an act that was much easier when he walked in to see Andy in the kitchen wearing one of his t-shirts, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, and cooking something on the stove, filling the apartment with a wonderful aroma. She flashed him a smile as he shut the door behind him and he returned it, laying her clothes on the back of the couch and making his way around the counter bar. His breath hitched in his throat when he realized the only other thing she was wearing with his shirt was a pair of purple lace panties that played peekaboo with the hem of the shirt.

"What's cookin' good lookin'?" he asked, coming over to kiss her on the cheek. His eyes went wide with surprise when his lips met the back of her spatula. 

"I'm making pancakes," she said as she lowered the cooking utensil, giggling at the shocked look on his face. "I'm not burning them because of your distracting lips. Now go wait in the living room."

"If I promise to keep my lips to myself can I stay in the kitchen?" he asked with an innocent smile.

She regarded him skeptically for a moment, not believing him for a second. But ultimately she gave in. "I guess." She turned her focus back to the frying pan on the stove to flip the pancake, very much aware of him moving to stand behind her.

He was good, long enough for her to finish the pancake that had been in the pan when he walked in. He simply stood behind her, peering over her shoulder. However, when she went to pour new batter into the pan his hands skimmed up her thighs and under the shirt to rest on her hips, causing her to almost drop the measuring cup she was using to pour the batter.

"Lex!" she said, only half-heartedly stern.

"What? I'm not touching you with my lips," he said, dipping his head to trail the tip of his nose up her neck and back down to her shoulder while his fingers traced the waistband of her panties.

Andy swallowed hard, her head tilting of its own accord to grant him easier access. She shivered when his tongue darted out to trace the shell of her ear, the sensation shooting straight down to her core. Wetness was already starting to pool, and she fought the urge to press her legs together.

"You should probably flip that," he said, repressing a chuckle.

"W-what?" she stammered.

"The pancake."

"Oh!" She hastily flipped the pancake, cringing at the almost too brown color of the side that had been on the pan's surface.

"I'm not distracting you, am I?" he said playfully, hooking his fingers into the waistband of her panties.

"N-not at all," she said breathlessly, ignoring his soft chuckle.

"Hmm, I'll have to work on that." He pushed her underwear down past her hips and over the curve of her ass, letting them fall to the floor. 

He pressed his body against hers and she gasped when she felt his hard cock against her ass through his pants. One of his hands came to rest on her hip while the other found its way between her legs. She couldn't stop the moan that burst from her lips when his middle finger started to rub small circles on her clit. 

"Lex!" she gasped, his finger dipping inside. Her head fell back to his shoulder.

He groaned at feeling how wet she was. "Damn, babe, is all this for me?" All she could do was nod as he retracted his digit to continue running slow circles on her clit. "You should probably turn the stove off now, cos I'm about to bend you over the counter and fuck you til you're screaming my name."

She whimpered with need as he retracted his hand from her and placed it on her hip. He waited until she turned the stove off and tossed her spatula to the side before he spun her around and crushed his lips to hers. As soon as she had kicked her underwear from her ankles he walked her back to a free counter and then turned her to bend her over. He pushed his pants down, pumping his cock and lining up with her entrance, teasing at her folds. They both keened wantonly as he pushed in and sheathed himself to the hilt.

"Fuck! You feel so good, baby!" he growled, gripping her hips tightly.

He started to move within her, slow easy strokes at first, reveling in the moans and mewls he pulled from her along with gasps of his name. In no time, she was grasping the counter as he fucked into her fast and hard.

"Fuck! Lex! Yes! Ah! Ah! Ah! Just like that, baby! Fuck me hard!" she shouted.

He called out her name, feeling her walls start to tighten around him. He snaked his hand around to rub her clit. "Cum for me, beautiful!" 

His hips were already stuttering in their rhythm, and when she screamed his name, her velvet walls clenching and spasming around him in her release, he hurtled over the edge right along with her, his hot, white cum painting her insides. He slammed into her relentlessly, dragging out their combined ecstasy as long as possible, only stopping when they were both spent.

He slowly pulled out of her and bent to press a kiss to her neck as she collapsed against the surface of the counter. They stayed in their position while their breathing slowly started to return to normal.

Andy started to laugh when the smell of burnt pancake invaded her nose. "You're eating the burnt one."

"Perfectly cooked food is overrated, anyway," he said, joining in on her laughter.

* * *

Lex had kept a smile on his face the rest of the morning as he and Andy got ready for work together, stopping to steal a kiss here and there. That smile stayed on his lips until he walked into OTS and saw Joshua sitting at his desk inside his office. Lex's stomach twisted as all the thoughts he had been holding back came tearing their way front and center. He took a deep breath and walked towards his boss' open door and softly knocked on the door frame. Joshua looked up from what he had been working on and greeted Lex with a smile, however his expression turned worrisome when he took in the look on his employee's face.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you did some digging last night," Joshua said.

Lex simply nodded.

"I think we should have lunch together, Lex," Joshua said, his carefree attitude returning. "What do you say?"

"Joshua—"

"Not here, Lex. Not now."

Lex slowly nodded his agreement. "Lunch then."

* * *

Andy's first day back at work since Providence had mostly been her sitting with Gage in his office, recounting everything that had happened since she stepped off the plane in Rhode Island, answering every question the man had. He had heard bits and pieces of things as they had happened from Sam and Dean, but hearing it all from her had put the man in a somber mood, regarding her from behind his desk. He fell silent while she went into their plan to go to Seth and Justin's cabin so they could lay low until they could find more information and let her talk through everything she needed from him. When she was done, the clock read half-past eleven.

Gage sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. "Do you trust this Seth and Justin?"

"They saved my life, Tom," she said, sitting in one of the leather chairs in front of the director's desk. "And they have taken measures to protect Lex over the years without him knowing."

Gage nodded solemnly. "I'll tell Joshua to let Lex out early and give him the weekend off. Are you sure that's going to be enough time?"

"Once we have a name, we can protect ourselves better against him until we figure out what's needed to kill him."

"Lex hasn't been asking questions?"

Andy pursed her lips, measuring her words before she spoke. "He hasn't, but… Tom… I think he deserves to know what's going on. It's better for him to find out in an atmosphere where he can ask questions than in the heat of the moment when something is trying to kill us."

"He never should have gotten this close to begin with, Andy!" Gage said, trying not to raise his voice. "If you had just kept your emotions in check—"

"No!" Andy almost growled, her voice dark and dangerous as she stood and leaned over his desk with her hands on its surface. "Don't you dare throw this all on me! Yes, I fell for Lex when I probably shouldn't have, but he never would have seen a damn thing if  _ you _ hadn't sent him to Providence with me!"

"Watch your tone, Major Stiles," Gage warned, getting to his feet. "I gave you my orders. Need I remind you of your rank?"

"Your orders are bullshit,  _ Director Gage! _ " she spat. "Need I remind  _ you _ what I have been doing for the past six goddamn years?! I haven't been  _ Major Stiles _ in a long time!"

"You  _ knew  _ what you were signing up for when we took on this mission!"

" _ We?!" _ Andy shouted with a cynical laugh. "Frankie, Liam, Stacy, and I have been the ones to give up everything and fight these monsters day in and day out!  _ You _ weren't the one forced to watch Mandy have her heart cut out of her chest and eaten!  _ FRANKIE AND I WERE _ !!!!"

"I LOVED HER TOO, DAMMIT!!!" Gage bellowed, slamming his fists down on the desk.

"YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HER!"

They both stared each other down, daring the other to continue. Andy, however, was the first to break the silence with a much calmer voice.

"Mandy died because we didn't know what to look for," she told him. "We were blind and ignorant to what's really out there and we walked right into what was almost all of our deaths. If it wasn't for Sam and Dean…" She closed her eyes, taking in a ragged breath to push away the memories and the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She slowly brought her gaze back to the man in front of her to find the anger gone from his features and replaced with a pain she knew they both shared. "For his own good, Lex needs to know. We are dealing with a  _ demon.  _ He needs to know how to protect himself. We've both brought this on him and he doesn't deserve to have his intelligence insulted by being lied to."

Gage sighed deeply, sitting back down in his chair. Andy's posture relaxed and she moved to sit again as well. There was silence again as the director planned his response.

"You need to speak with Frankie before you tell him," he finally said. "It's as much his story as it is yours and he needs to be aware of you telling it."

"I can do that," she agreed. "Thank you, Tom."

"Don't thank me until you see how Lex reacts. He may not handle this very well."

"I know, but he deserves to know what he's getting himself into."

Gage nodded, clasping his hands together on the surface of his desk. "When Frankie checks in on Sunday I'm telling him that he, Liam, and Stacy need to get home. This is so much deeper than a few shapeshifters in the government. This demon obviously has an axe to grind for some reason and I want them with you."

"Good, I'm guessing we are going to need all the help we can get."

* * *

"That should do it, Terri," Lex said into the phone headset in his ear. He finished gathering the information with his computer that his friend had requested of him and sent it in an email to her. "Do you need anything else?"

"No, thank you," Terri replied through his earpiece. "Thankfully we are flying out tomorrow night. How's Andy?"

"She's good. Back at work today."

"Already?!"

"Uh… yeah, it's a long story."

"Oh, well, I'm glad she's better," Terri said. "So," Lex could hear the smile in her voice with her next question and he couldn't help but grin in return. "How are things between the two of you?"

"We're still figuring a few things out," he said honestly. "But, things are good. We just seem to fit together perfectly. Seth and Justin absolutely love her, too. We're actually going up to their cabin in Bentonville after work today if neither me or Andy ends up having to work this weekend."

"That's great, Lex!" Terri said excitedly. "I'm so happy for you two! I hate to cut this short, but Stiles just got back and we have some things to finish up before we leave tomorrow. We'll talk Monday morning."

"Sounds good. See you guys soon."

Lex disconnected the call and glanced at the clock in the bottom right corner of his computer screen. It was noon, which meant it was time for lunch with Joshua. He stood from his desk and turned to head towards his boss' office, halting outside it when he saw the man on the phone through the windows. Joshua looked up briefly, smiling and motioning for Lex to come in when he caught his eye. He did as he was beckoned and stood near the door after he closed it, listening to Joshua's side of the conversation.

"I do think it's a good idea," Joshua said. "Especially with all that's going on. Do you need me to take care of passports for them?" He paused while the person on the other end of the line spoke. "Yes, sir. I'll get started on it after lunch." He paused again. "Yes, I'll let Lex know. Where is Andy now?" Another stop in his words. "Good to know. I'll let you know when the passports are done."

With a farewell, Joshua hung up the phone and focused his attention back to Lex with a smile on his face. "Ready for lunch?"

"Let me know what?" Lex asked in return.

"That you're done for the day and off until Monday."

"Why?"

Joshua kept the friendly look on his face as he stood and grabbed a manila file folder on his desk. "I'll explain once we are out of the building and can talk."

Joshua took Lex to a small park close to CIA headquarters where, after insisting on buying him a Cuban sandwich from a small cart vendor, he led him to a deserted bench on the back edge where they could talk privately. They sat down, Joshua instantly digging into his own sandwich while Lex laid his to the side. His stomach was suddenly rolling and the thought of food just made it worse.

"So," Joshua said after swallowing a bite of his food. "I assume you have questions."

"The questions I have could fill a book."

"Well, let's start with the easiest one," Joshua offered matter-of-factly but didn't give him a chance to respond. "Yes, everything you read was true."

Lex felt like he had been punched in the stomach. "So monsters are real? Ghosts? All of it?!"

"Yes," Joshua confirmed. "Angels and demons, too. Let me tell you, the first time I met an angel! Blew. My. Mind! Cas is a pretty nice guy once you get past the whole heavenly entity thing. All angels aren't like that, though. Most are complete dicks."

Lex stared at his boss with his mouth hanging open. "Wait… Cas... Cas is an angel?!" A name from the document filtered through his mind. "His real name is Castiel."

"Cas is a nickname," Joshua confirmed. "And yes, he's a real bonafide angel. How do you think Andy healed so quickly in the hospital and again once you two got home?"

"Is he the one that…  _ healed  _ her that day I was at work? Why didn't he heal her all at once?! She was in a lot of pain and I'm pretty sure she was seeing things!"

"Because she didn't want to freak you out." Joshua raised his hand as Lex opened his mouth to speak. "Let me finish. There is a lot more to Andy's injury than you know."

Lex listened intently, fighting the urge to ask question after question as Joshua launched into an explanation of what had really gone on in Rhode Island and what had transpired once they returned to Virginia. The man filled in the blanks on what he had seen on the video feed from the governor's home and what, not who, had attacked Andy. He told him who Sam and Dean really were and why they were still around, about how Rowena—who was in fact one of the most powerful witches in the world—was working on identifying the demon who had tried to kill Andy, and finally about how Seth and Justin had been the ones to realize a curse was slowly killing her and had been the ones to ultimately save her life. 

When Joshua was done, Lex was all but speechless. He stared at the ground, attempting to wrap his brain around the story his boss had just told him. Questions swarmed his mind, each of them fighting and stepping on the others to try and be asked first. However, he found himself unable to articulate most of them.

"Lex?" Joshua asked, concern coloring his words. "I need you to say something."

Lex cleared his throat, trying to push his voice back to the surface. "I… what…" He fought to find the words. "They're all... _ hunters _ ?"

"Well," Joshua said, searching for the right way to answer the question. "Sam, Dean, Cas, Andy, and Justin are. Seth is in it because of Justin. He helps where he can, but Justin keeps him out of it as much as possible from what Andy says. Rowena is more of a… we'll say free agent. But, she's fond of the Winchesters, Cas, and Andy."

"Is this what Andy has been doing overseas? Are she and her team even part of the military?"

"They are, but barely," Joshua told him. "Gage and I have worked to keep them just active enough to not be considered AWOL and to keep them supplied with things they need."

"Why? Who all knows about this? Does Stiles know what his sister does? Is this why he was so dead set against us being together? What happened to put all of you in this?"

"Lex, slow down," Joshua urged. He waited for Lex to take a deep breath before he continued. “Stiles has no idea. The only ones associated with the government that know are Andy, her team, Director Gage, and myself. Oh, and the President. Though, that's still a  _ fairly _ new development. He was possessed by Lucifer for a short time—"

"HE WAS WHAT?!" Lex exclaimed, his voice coming out strangled.

"Don't worry, The Winchesters, Rowena, and Cas took care of it," Joshua said quickly. “Measures have been taken to prevent it from happening again."

Lex nodded slowly, unsure of what else he could possibly say or do.

"As for what dragged us all into this," Joshua continued, handing over the manila file folder he had brought. 

Lex took it with trembling hands and opened it. There were four pictures inside, the first of which was Andy. Behind it was one of a large, muscular man with buzz cut sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"That's Major Franklin Russo. We call him Frankie," Joshua provided. 

Lex flipped to the next photograph. The man in the picture was fit but smaller than Frankie. He had the same buzz cut, but his hair was dark midnight black and his eyes were a deep brown.

"Captain Liam Whitefield," Joshua told him.

The last picture was of a woman with an athletic build. She had hard pale blue eyes and her ginger-red hair was pulled back into a tight bun.

"And that's First Lieutenant Stacy McCoy."

"This is Andy's team," Lex said, looking through the photos again. "She's mentioned their names and her friendship with Frankie."

"Yes, she and Frankie have been through a lot together," Joshua said sadly.

The change in the other man's tone had Lex's eyes on him quickly. "Joshua, what happened?"

"Do you remember six years ago when Gage's niece, Mandy, was murdered on her wedding night? Tom had flown into Tennessee to be there for the wedding."

"Of course I do," Lex said. "Gage was devastated. I don't see what that has to do with this. She was killed by a serial killer. Her new husband and maid of honor were almost killed, too. But, the FBI agents on the case got there in time."

"That's not  _ exactly _ what happened. Frankie was her new husband. Andy, the maid of honor. And those FBI agents, those were Sam and Dean."

Lex swallowed hard in an attempt to force the bile in his throat back down.

"Frankie and Andy had worked for months to have their leave at the same time and as soon as they got it, Frankie and Mandy planned their impromptu wedding. Gage made it ten minutes before the ceremony. They were at this little mountain resort and the guests, along with the newlyweds, chose to stay there after the wedding. None of them were aware that Sam and Dean had been chasing a demon and that they had ended up in the same place."

"The demon killed Mandy?" Lex asked, already sure he knew the answer.

Joshua nodded gravely. "I'm not sure exactly how it happened—Andy and Frankie were foggy on the details—but the demon captured the three of them and took them deep into the woods. Andy was supposed to meet with Gage and his wife for a drink that night, and when she didn't show, he got worried and went to her room where he found Sam and Dean tearing up the place. After a few tense minutes with guns pointed, the Winchesters convinced Tom that they were trying to help. They didn't have time to break him in slowly, so they just gave him the unfiltered truth: A demon was trying to work a spell to become more powerful and it required human sacrifice."

"Why did he believe them?" Lex asked.

"I'm not sure about those details either," Joshua admitted. "I'm sure he didn't at first, but people he cared about were missing and about to be killed. He didn't have a choice but to accept it. He helped them find them, but… by the time they got there… Andy and Frankie had already watched this bastard cut out Mandy's heart and eat it while they were tied up on the ground."

"What the fuck?!" Lex whispered.

"Sam and Dean fought the demon, tried to kill him, but the demon somehow got their weapons away from them—"

"What kind of weapon kills a damn demon?!" Lex exclaimed.

"An angel blade, and another knife the brothers have. That's another conversation, though. Andy and Frankie managed to get out of the ropes they were in and they did their best to hold the demon down while Sam and Dean exorcised it. They said they had an acquaintance that would make sure he would be buried so deep he would never see the light of day again for what he had done."

"How did they manage to keep all of that quiet?"

"Gage, Andy, and Frankie have their connections, and with the Winchesters' help, and the fact that the guy the demon was possessing was actually wanted for a string of murders a state over, they spun the serial killer explanation," Joshua told him. "After that, Gage arranged for Andy and Frankie to be placed on extended leave so they could grieve. However, their coping mechanism was to learn absolutely everything they could about the supernatural world, and against Sam and Dean's advice started hunting. They were naturals from what I've heard. It's what brought them to Liam and Stacy."

"How did they meet them?"

"Liam and Stacy were stationed at a base where Frankie and Andy were hunting a witch that was killing military personnel and making it look like accidents. Andy called Gage because they needed clearance to get on the base. He came to me and, after I wrapped my head around all of it, we worked together to make it happen. They saved Liam and Stacy, but in doing so they were there when they killed the witch. Frankie and Andy ended up having to tell them the truth and they said if they ever needed anything to call them. A few weeks later the four of them and myself were in Gage's office. He had a friend overseas that was beside himself because he thought vampires had killed his family. They went, and that was five years ago. We've been working together from a distance ever since, keeping their status active and providing them with things when they need it."

"Until the shapeshifters that were working for a demon took over as governor and infiltrated other offices in Rhode Island," Lex said.

"Yes."

Lex turned his gaze towards the sky. Everything inside of him wanted to call Joshua a liar and leave the man sitting on the bench. To go to Andy and beg her to tell him she hadn't been killing monsters and dealing with demons for the past six years. That she hadn't seen the horrible things that put her on this path. However, all the proof was staring him in the face. He had seen the shapeshifters on the video, watched Castiel smite one of them, had seen Andy's injury dwindle to nothing in a matter of days. There was no way he could deny any of it. 

So where did he go from here?

"Lex?" Joshua ventured. "Are you OK?"

Lex barked out a laugh as he brought his gaze back to his boss. "I don't think I've ever been further from OK, Joshua."

"It's perfectly normal to need to take a step back," Joshua assured him. "I have a place I can send you that's safe where you can work through it all. I'll tell Andy that—"

"Whoa! Wait!" Lex cut him off. "Who said anything about me running? Yeah, I'm gonna need some time to wrap my head around all this. This is like the freaking information dump of the century and I'm pretty freaked out right now! But I'm not leaving Andy to do that! I can see why Gage didn't want me to know though."

"Yeah, about that," Joshua said. "Andy convinced him this morning to let her tell you the truth. She has to wait to talk to Frankie about it on Sunday. So, I imagine it will be sometime soon after that."

Lex blinked at him in disbelief. "Then why did you tell me now? I mean, I understand you telling me to look up the Men of Letters yesterday, but why tell me everything after you found out she was going to?"

"You and Andy mean a great deal to me, Lex, but I wasn't sure how you were going to handle all of this," Joshua admitted. "If you were going to freak out, I would rather it have been on me than her. I saw the two of you this morning in the parking garage before you went your separate ways. I've never seen you look at someone like that… Nor have I her. However, this is a lot to take in, let alone accept. You both care a great deal about each other and I didn't want you to say something you didn't mean in the heat of the moment that would destroy that. I see now that I underestimated you, and I apologize. You are handling this  _ much _ better than I expected."

"Don't really have much of a choice. It's either freakout and shag ass away from the girl I'm pretty sure I was meant to be with, or figure out how to work through all of this and love her for exactly who she is. I choose the latter."

Joshua smiled proudly at the man beside him. "I'm glad to hear that."

"What do I do now, Joshua?" Lex asked. "Do I tell her I know?"

"I would wait until she comes to you. She's got a lot going on at the moment, and it may be best to give her time to prepare for the conversation herself. Besides, you two are going out to Bentonville with Seth and Justin today, aren't you? You should enjoy your time together while you can."

"How did you know about that?" Lex asked

"Because it's not just for a couples getaway."

"I figured that."

"The cabin is a safe house. They all decided it's best for you and Andy to lay low until we can get more information on the demon that attacked her. We don't even know his name right now. The Winchesters, Cas, and Rowena will be staying in a cabin nearby. I procured it for them while I was on the phone with Gage before you walked into my office. I'm also supposed to tell you that you have the rest of the day and the weekend off after lunch."

"So what, I just go with the flow?"

"Precisely," Joshua confirmed with a smile. "I know Andy will do her best to answer every one of your questions, but are there any that you want answered right now?"

"So many, but… I don't know. How do you find out a demon's name? What are they going to have to do?"

"There are a few ways," Joshua said. "A lot of them like to hear themselves talk and they just tell you. Sometimes you have to use alternative methods. With Rowena there and them having the dagger he used on Andy, they will be using magic."

"Magic?" Lex questioned with wide eyes. "Well, she is a witch, I guess." He swallowed hard, trying to make sense of the information in his head. "Do they… Did Andy and Frankie ever find out who the demon was that… that killed Mandy?"

"They did," Joshua told him. "His name was Ajal."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: smut

_ Langley, Virginia _

  
  


Lex walked on autopilot back to OTS after his lunch with Joshua. His mind was reeling over their conversation, yet he was still wanting to try and convince himself that none of it was real. However, he knew there was no use. His entire world had been completely rearranged in a matter of hours, and the only real option he had was to figure out how to wrap his brain around all of it.

Joshua had done his best to answer Lex's questions. He had been able to offer pieces of information that he hadn't been able to find in the Men of Letters archives and explain them as well. Time, and the fact that his boss still had work to do, had ended their conversation. Lex had agreed on waiting for Andy to come to him about all of it, a decision he suddenly found himself regretting because all he wanted to do now was talk to her.

He released an agitated breath as he walked into OTS, but when he saw Andy sitting at Terri's computer with her brow creased in concentration, his agitation turned to curiosity. Lex made his way to her and took the seat in front of his own desk, focusing on the same screen she was on as he did. She appeared to be trying to run a trace on a few different phone numbers, and judging by the look on her face, she wasn't having much luck.

"Do you need some help?" he asked.

"Maybe," she said, not taking her eyes from the screen. "I'm not used to this particular program and I think I'm doing something wrong."

"What keeps coming up?"

She sighed and leaned back in her chair. "It keeps telling me that the numbers aren't valid when I  _ know _ they are."

"Mind if I try?" Lex asked, motioning to the keyboard.

"Be my guest," she said, rolling her chair to the side and letting Lex move his to where she had been.

Lex was no stranger to the program the CIA used to find a location using cell phone signals. It did its job well, to a certain extent. There were still a few things that could be done to special devices to block their signals, and unless you knew how to electronically break down these walls, you weren't going to find what you needed. Luckily, Lex more than knew what he was doing, and within a few minutes, he had located the three phones Andy had been trying to find on the outskirts of Cario, Egypt. He turned to her with a smile on his face that quickly faded when he saw the concern etched into her features as she stared at the screen.

"I take it you weren't expecting this?" Lex asked cautiously. 

"I mean, it's not completely out of the realm of possibilities," she said. "We just usually make it a habit of not staying in one place very long after a mission."

"Is this your team?"

"Yeah. I tried to call Frankie after my meeting with Gage and he didn't answer. Same with Liam and Stacy."

"Were you supposed to talk to them today?"

"No, Frankie isn't supposed to check in with me until Sunday morning," she sighed again. "I'm sure I'm just overreacting because I'm not used to being away from them. I sent emails, too. I'll wait for a response before I freak out."

"If you want me to track their email addresses, I can," Lex offered.

"Thank you, but no," Andy said reluctantly. "I'm sure everything is fine. Frankie would have found a way to contact me or Gage if something was wrong."

At least… she hoped he would.

* * *

"We got here about twenty minutes ago," Dean said through the speaker of Andy's cell phone on her nightstand. "We're about ten minutes from where you guys are gonna be. When are you heading out?"

"As soon as we get packed," Andy said as she placed a few folded shirts over the wrapped angel blade in her suitcase.

After she and Lex had left CIA headquarters, they had gone straight to their apartment building and to their respective apartments to pack for the trip to Bentonville. She was almost done when Dean had called to fill her in on their progress. As they talked, she gathered the things she would need for the weekend stay at Seth and Justin's safe house.

"How is Rowena doing with that identification spell?" Andy asked.

"A few of the ingredients had to steep in holy water for twenty-four hours," Dean told her. "As soon as that's done she can start combining everything. How did the meeting with Gage go this morning?"

"Things got a bit heated for a minute, but he's on board with what we have planned," she told him as she tucked a few pairs of jeans and shorts in her suitcase then turned towards her closet. "Do you think I should bring a bathing suit? I don't see me using it."

"It's better to keep up the appearance that this is just a weekend trip at the lake," Dean said. "Why did things get heated with Gage?"

Taking Dean's advice, she opened her closet and pulled out a violet bikini. "Because I want to come clean about everything to Lex." 

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Dean's tone was suddenly sullen.

"I don't want to lie to him anymore." She placed the bathing suit in beside her jeans. "He deserves to know what's really going on."

"Are you sure he can handle it? He's probably gonna turn tail and run."

"You don't know that, Dean!"

"Come on, Andy!" Dean exclaimed. "He's an egghead that sits behind a computer all day! Even when he goes on missions with your brother and Terri he's behind the damn computer. He wouldn't last a minute up against the shit we deal with daily!"

"Stop insulting him and making assumptions!" Andy growled in warning. "You know absolutely nothing about him!"

"Fine! Do what you want, Andy, but don't come crying to me when your boyfriend dumps you because he can't wrap his head around all this! We're heading out so Cas can place more warding around Seth and Justin's cabin. Text Sam when you guys leave."

Andy found herself fighting back tears when her phone gave a faint beep to indicate Dean had disconnected the call. She had known all along that Lex wanting nothing to do with her after he knew everything was a possibility. Even still, hearing the words slice out of Dean's mouth had cut her deeply. What she had found with Lex was something that she knew she would never find again and the thought of losing it took her breath away. A part of her wished she didn't have to tell him, that she could let him continue living with no knowledge of demons, angels, and monsters. However, If they were going to be together, he had to know what she really did.

"Hey, babe! It's me!" Lex calling out to her as he entered her apartment broke her out of her thoughts and had her scrambling to furiously wipe away the unshed tears in her eyes.

"I'm in the bedroom," she called back.

Lex had done his best to push all monster-related thoughts out of his head as he had hastily packed his things. He would take Joshua's advice and go along with the idea of a couples' getaway with his girlfriend and two of his best friends, and as he closed the door to Andy's apartment and entered her living room, he thought he was fairing pretty well. That was until he heard the tremble in Andy's voice that she was trying to hide when she called back to him. He walked into her bedroom on high alert, but when he swept the space with his eyes and only found Andy zipping up her suitcase that she had placed on the end of her bed, he felt himself calm. It, of course, didn't go unnoticed that she wasn't looking at him.

"Hey, babe, everything alright?" he asked, placing the duffle bag he was carrying on the floor near the door before he made his way over to her.

"I'm fine," she lied. "Just arguing with Dean."

"About what?"

"Work stuff," she said, and finally turned to him.

"Anything I can do to make you feel better?"

She smiled at the genuine concern for her in his eyes and closed the distance between them to wrap her arms around his neck and press their lips together. He responded instantly, deepening the kiss as he ran his hands up and down her back a few times, then reaching down to grab her ass and pull her closer to him. His mouth retreated from hers to kiss down her jawline and to her neck.

"Lex!" she half scolded as giggles bubbled from her lips. "Seth and Justin will be here any minute!"

"Got you smiling, didn't I?" he asked against her skin.

"Mmm, you did," she said, tilting her head to the side to grant him easier access as he continued to nip and kiss at the sensitive spots he knew drove her wild. "But now I just think you're trying to start something."

"Are you telling me to stop?" he asked, and moved to nibble on her ear lobe.

"No, I'm telling you to hurry and get my clothes off before we're interrupted."

He pulled his head back to grin broadly at her and gripped the hem of her shirt with his fingers to pull it up and off of her.

* * *

_ Bentonville, Virginia _

  
  


Seth and Justin's safe house was a rustic two-story log cabin made from trunks of Douglas Fir trees. The signature red and blonde color of the timber flowed beautifully against the backdrop of a large lake surrounded by dense woods. The white and gray gravel driveway led all the way to a set of stairs that connected to a covered wraparound porch, the columns and floor matching logs on the rest of the house. On the other side of a small patch of grass behind the house was a wooden dock that led out twenty feet into the dark water.

The front door opened up into an open floor plan leading into a cozy living room decorated with an eight-person maroon sectional. The piece of furniture was plush with fluffy seat cushions and matching throw pillows. A wide stone fireplace stood proudly across from the couch nestled into the walls made of more polished Douglas Fir. Above the mantle that displayed a few pictures of Seth and Justin hung a large flat-screen TV. A small entryway in the back left corner of the living room led to a simple staircase ascending to two bedrooms complete with ensuite bathrooms

Along the back wall in-between the living and dining area was a line of four bookcases made of thick oak wood, matching the four-person rectangular dining room table. In the adjacent corner from the table was a door leading to the rest of the wraparound porch and out onto the back of the property.

The kitchen, to the right of the living and dining area, was done in a modern style with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops made up of different hues of browns and creams with a hint of gold, and oak cabinets. A medium-sized prep counter stood in the center of the space with matching counters and cabinets with a collection of pots and pans hanging down from a pot rack suspended from the ceiling.

Lex pulled Andy's car next to Justin's as he and Seth were exiting the vehicle. Andy gazed up at the house before them with a smile on her face when she and Lex got out.

"Wow! This place is beautiful guys!" Andy exclaimed while she and Lex shut their doors.

"Yeah," Lex agreed. "Why have I never seen this place before?"

"Because this is our sanctuary, and you've never been with someone we liked enough for you to bring here," Seth told him with a smile on his face.

"Seth!" Justin scolded, but couldn't hold back the laughter that followed.

Lex feigned a glare at his friends and turned to his girlfriend. "I'm starting to think they like you more than me," he said jokingly.

"Awe! Baby, no!" Andy said lightheartedly, coming up to tuck herself into Lex's side and wrap her arms around his waist. 

"Come on guys," Justin said and started to ascend the wooden stairs to the porch. "We'll give you the grand tour."

After the tour and bringing their bags in from the cars to place them in their respective rooms, the quartet gathered in the kitchen around the prep counter. They had talked for a few minutes when Seth had broken away to pull wine glasses out of one of the cabinets and then began searching for the wine to pour into them.

"Hon, I know what we forgot," Seth said, opening the double door refrigerator.

"Oh, yeah," Justin said, coming over to peer around his boyfriend's shoulder. "Guess one of us is gonna have to run to the store cos that thing is  _ bare _ ."

"I don't mind running out," Lex offered.

"Great!" Seth said as he shut the refrigerator doors and turned to his friend. "I'll go with you!"

Together, the four made a list of the things they would need for the weekend and a few minutes later Andy and Justin stood on the porch watching as their significant others drove away.

"So," Andy mused, leaning against one of the columns with her arms crossed over her chest. "Did you guys  _ really _ forget to go to the grocery store?"

Justin's hand shot to his chest as he gave an exaggerated gasp and feigned being offended. "Andy! Are you suggesting I was trying to get rid of my best friend?!" He laughed when she raised an eyebrow in response. "No, I just wanted a chance to show you where we keep our weapons and where the warding is hidden." He was suddenly excited as he took one of her hands and dragged her back inside. "Come on, you're gonna love this!"

He led her to the set of four bookcases before he released her hand. He shot her an excited grin and then turned to reach up to the seam where the two middle bookcases met and undid a latch hidden on the very top. He then grasped the sides and pulled, revealing that they were on tiny casters that allowed him to open them up like a book. Andy's mouth nearly hit the ground as she gazed in awe at the impressively organized hunter's arsenal hidden on the back of the bookcases. On one, held in by metal—no, silver—pegs, was an assortment of pistols, shotguns, and sawed-offs with corresponding ammunition, along with salt rounds and silver bullets. The other side held an array of knives and daggers made from a variety of metals, three angel blades, four machetes, bottles of holy water, red spray paint, and a section with an extensive collection of spell ingredients that would almost put the bunker's to shame.

"This is the bulk of it," Justin explained, taking a step back so his friend could look. "There is at least one gun, some salt, and holy water hidden in every area of the house. I'll show you where everything is located. And I have a stash of dead man's blood in a minifridge inside mine and Seth's closet."

"Holy shit, Justin!" Andy said, taking mental notes of where every weapon in his hidden arsenal was placed. "This is pretty impressive."

"I like being prepared," he said. "You should see my trunk." 

She moved to the side to allow Justin room to close his weapon case back up, in awe at how well hidden it was once the latch was back in place.

"Wow, I've been trained to spot these kinds of things and I had no idea it was even here," she praised.

"Good, that means Lex won't know it's here either." He paused, a thoughtful expression taking over his features as he turned to her. "Have you given any more thought to telling him about all of this?"

"I have actually. I got permission from Gage this morning," Andy told him. "He just wants me to talk to Frankie first and let him know."

"When are you doing that?"

"I tried to get a hold of him and the rest of my team as soon as my meeting was over, and no one answered. I'm a little worried about them, to be honest, but I'm not supposed to hear from them until Sunday. So I guess I just have to wait."

"That's gonna be a  _ fun  _ conversation!" Justin said sarcastically. "Any idea how you're gonna do it?"

Andy sighed as she moved to sit down in one of the oak chairs at the dining room table. "I have no idea. I'm terrified he's not going to want anything to do with me after he knows."

"That's not gonna happen," Justin assured her as he sat down in the chair to her right.

"Why are you so sure of that?"

"I just am."

"You're not mad that I'm essentially going to be ratting you and Seth out for hiding this from him for all these years?"

"Hell no!" Justin told her enthusiastically. "We will  _ both _ be glad to not have to lie to him anymore! Plus, I'm so looking forward to the expression on his face when he realizes we know he doesn't work for a greeting card company."

* * *

Lex leaned on the handlebar of the shopping cart he and Seth were using. “This is a lot of food for one weekend,” he commented, looking down into it.

"Oh, it's fine," Seth said, studying the selection of wines in front of him. "What kind of wine does Andy like?"

"She really liked that pink Moscato you and I picked out for our date the other night."

Seth turned to him with a wide grin on his lips. "We never did get to talk about how that went."

Lex couldn't stop the smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"That good, huh?" Seth said with a chuckle. "Has the ‘L-word’ been uttered yet?"

"Not yet."

"Well, I think," Seth said as he turned back to the shelves. "Wait!" He quickly whirled back around to face his friend. "Did you say ' _ yet _ ?!’"

Lex simply grinned as he moved to grab a bottle of the pink Moscato they had mentioned. "Here it is," he said and placed the bottle in the cart. Lex didn't hold back his laughter as he pushed the cart past his awestruck friend. "We should probably get going."

"Oh, you're not getting off the hook that easy!" Seth called as he jogged to catch up to him.

Neither of the men noticed the man peeking around the corner at the opposite end of the aisle, watching them intently with dark mahogany brown eyes gleaming wickedly from beneath a gray fedora. 

* * *

"That was amazing, babe!" Lex said to Andy from his seat at the dining room table as she collected the empty plate in front of him.

"Thank you," she said with a grin. "See what happens when you're not distracting me?"

"You were worth the burnt food," Lex said and shot her a wink as she picked up Seth's plate.

"Perfectly cooked food is overrated when there are more important things to be done," Justin said, picking up on their banter.

"That's what I said!" Lex exclaimed.

"I swear," Seth said, standing to help Andy collect the dishes on the table. "Sometimes I think you two were separated at birth."

"Nah, we just both appreciate the important things in life," Lex said, watching Andy turn to walk with Seth to place their dishes in the dishwasher, his head tilting to the side when she bent slightly to pull out the bottom rack of the appliance.

By the time he and Seth had returned from the grocery store she had changed into a black maxi skirt that fell just above midthigh and he had fought the urge to pull her upstairs to their room ever since. It really should be a crime to look that good in a skirt, but he knew it would be rude to just disappear. Lex wondered if his friends would buy the excuse that they wanted to unpack.

"Lex!"

Lex's thoughts were broken when Justin called his name. He turned wide eyes to his friend, who was looking at him expectantly.

"Did you even hear what I said?" Justin asked with a chuckle. Lex's blank stare was enough of an answer and he repeated his question. "Did you ever get your copy of 'Crescendo of the Blood Moon?'"

"Yeah, it came in on Thursday," Lex told him. "Haven't played it yet."

"Why not?!"

"Been a little busy, man!"

"Hold up!" Andy said, placing her arm around Lex's shoulders when she and Seth walked back to the table after starting the dishwasher. "You have a copy of 'Blood Moon' and we haven't played it?"

Lex looked up at her with pure adoration in his eyes. "You like video games?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "If you would have said something we would have played!"

"Oh, God." Seth groaned, taking his seat. "There's  _ three _ of you now!"

"I have a PS4 upstairs," Justin offered.

"I brought the game," Lex said.

"No!" Seth scolded. "You promised me a bonfire tonight!" 

"And we'll have one!" Justin tried to bargain. "Andy and I set up the fire pit and chairs while you and Lex were at the store. We just wanna play for a little bit!"

"If you three start that game you'll be on it all night!" Seth argued.

Andy moved from Lex to stand behind Seth to wrap her arms around his and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Seth," she said earnestly. "We have one hour until it gets completely dark. Give us that one hour and you have my word that that is all we will ask for. We will spend the rest of the night at the fire."

Seth released an exasperated sigh and crossed his arms over his chest. "One hour!"

Andy squealed with delight and kissed her friend on the cheek. "I'll go get the game," she said in a sing-song voice and then made her way to the stairs.

"Lex," Justin said after she had disappeared. 

"Yeah?"

Justin snapped his gaze to his friend. "I'm telling you, man. Buy a ring!"

* * *

True to Andy's word, all four were out back around a stone fire pit after one hour of game time. Andy and Lex had chosen a wicker chaise lounge deck chair with fluffy dark blue cushions and were already tangled together underneath a blanket with Andy settled between his legs and her back resting against Lex's chest. Seth was waiting on a matching loveseat while Justin started the fire. Once the blaze was strong enough, Justin settled next to his boyfriend, pulling him close. 

"Told ya you would get your fire, Sweetheart," Justin said.

Seth smiled warmly and kissed his lips. "Thank you," he said, snuggling into him and wrapping an arm around Justin's middle.

"Wow!" Andy breathed, looking up at the millions of twinkling stars in the night sky above their heads. "This view really is amazing!"

"Told you!" Seth said enthusiastically. "Ya know, it was this very spot that Justin and I had our first kiss and later where we said 'I love you' for the first time."

"Really?" Andy said, turning her gaze to him and completely missing the warning glance Lex had shot in the man's direction. A look he pointedly ignored.

"Sure is!" Justin confirmed. "I just couldn't help myself once we were out here under the stars in the light of the fire."

"Aww! That's so sweet!" Andy exclaimed.

The night continued companionably as the two couples talked and laughed. As midnight passed and comfortable silences became more frequent, Lex found his brain traveling back to the things he had kept at bay for most of the time he had been at the cabin. 

Though Justin appeared relaxed and content, he noticed for the first time how his friend's eyes were constantly darting about as if he were expecting someone—or something—to appear out of the woods. With a glance at the girl who had her head back resting upon his shoulder, he discovered her doing the same thing. Had they both always been this on alert and he just hadn't noticed? Or was it simply because of the reason they were really here? What exactly had they done to ensure this place was safe? 

Lex tightened his hold on Andy and he remembered the story Joshua had told him about how she and Frankie had gotten started in this life. She had been through so much and she still stood so strong. He knew the things he did know barely scratched the surface of the world she lived in, and while he wasn't ashamed to admit the entirety of it scared the hell out of him, he wanted to learn more. He wanted to be able to be there for her to confide in and to be able to help her in any way he possibly could. He knew how he felt about her, and walking away simply wasn't an option. But what could he do against monsters, demons and, apparently, angels—except for Castiel?

He shook his head to clear the thoughts of the angel out of his head. He was nowhere near ready to deal with that yet. All he wanted to do was talk to her about all of it. Sunday couldn't come soon enough.

Andy was continuously scanning the water behind Justin and Seth, and the woods to either side of them. When she and Justin had set the chairs up, they had placed them where together they would have a three hundred and sixty-degree view of their surroundings. Justin and Seth had put painstaking detail into the warding around their property, and with the extra that Castiel had put up, they knew they were guarded. However, they both knew they could never be too careful when demons were involved, and constantly keeping watch was just ingrained into them at this point.

When Lex's arms pulled her closer, her thoughts shifted. She was going to tell him everything. For the first time in years, she was going to trust someone enough to not hold anything back, but how would he react? Justin had said more than once while he showed her the locations of his warding that he believed Lex would handle it better than she was fearing. Yet, she still couldn't shake the thoughts in her head that told her that this would be a deal-breaker for him. Honestly, she wouldn't blame him if he  _ did _ leave her. 

The chances of him actually believing her were slim as it was; he would probably think she was insane. Justin had offered to be there to back her up when she did talk to him, which made her feel a little better, but even if they could convince him that they didn't need to be locked up in a psychiatric hospital, would he be able to live with the information? Would he still want her once everything was said and done?

She could only hope that he would still want to catch her because she had already fallen hard for him.

Seth yawned as he reluctantly pulled out of Justin's hold. "I think it's time for us to turn in."

"I agree," Justin said and turned his gaze to Andy. "You guys gonna be OK out here?"

Lex didn't miss the knowing look that his friend and girlfriend shared.

"We'll be fine," Andy assured him.

With a nod, Seth and Justin told them goodnight and made their way inside the cabin. Another silence fell between the remaining two, each of them lost in their own train of thought. 

Andy finally shook her head to clear the doubtful thoughts away. There was a chance everything was going to go to hell very soon, and she was determined to make the most of the time she  _ did  _ have with Lex. She turned her head to nuzzle into his neck.

"Hey, beautiful," he said, a smile now claiming his features. His hand came up to cup the side of her face and he moved to tenderly press their lips together. He may not be able to do a lot up against monsters, but he  _ could _ show her how deeply he cared for her. Maybe even find the words to tell her.

He kissed her slow, letting his fingers slip into her hair as he softly nibbled her bottom lip and then lightly trailed his tongue along where his teeth had been. Her lips parted and a moan escaped her, granting him entry. Their tongues caressed and danced together in a rhythm all their own, a synchronization that always seemed to find them easily and ignite a fire deep inside that blazed with an intensity that both knew they would never find in another. A groan rose from Lex's chest when Andy rocked her hips back into his growing erection that she could feel pressing against her. He broke the kiss, breathing heavily as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"I think we should go on up to our room," he suggested, attempting to ignore the flutter of his heart at the phrase "our room," but he  _ really _ liked the way that sounded.

"We could," she said coyly. "Or…" She quickly moved, turning her body to straddle his lap and thread her fingers through his hair as his hands fell to her hips. Her lips came to within mere centimeters of his. "I could ride your cock right here."

"I think I like option B," Lex said, almost breathless.

Andy crushed her lips to his in a hot, wet kiss, tugging on his bottom lip with her teeth and slipping her tongue past his lips to tangle with his. Her fingers slipped from his hair to trail down his neck and chest as his traced the curve of her hips down to caress her thighs. She made quick work of the button and zipper of his jeans, breaking their kiss and lifting herself so he could help her pull them down enough for his long, hard, and thick cock to spring free.

Lex couldn't take his eyes off of Andy while she got to her feet and walked around the front of the chaise to rid herself of her panties. Gazes locked and she crawled back up to him, amber and azure barely visible through the dilation of lust in their eyes. Straddled back over his lap, she grasped his shaft and slowly started stroking him. His head fell back with a groan, eyes clenched tight, reveling in the sensation of her hands on him.

"Fuck! Andy!" he grunted and raised his head to look at her, the grin he saw on her lips sparking even more desire in him.

She felt his cock twitch in her hand and she raised her hips, guiding him to her entrance and coating his tip in her already present wetness while his hands explored her body. They both cried out when she lowered herself onto his shaft, fully sheathing him inside her. 

"Lex!" Andy moaned, bracing herself with her hands on his shoulders and starting to rock her hips.

Lex watched her intently, desire blazing in his golden eyes with her speed increasing. His hands pushed her shirt up over her bra and pulled down the lace to expose her nipples to him, already taut. 

"Fuck, baby, you look so good riding my cock!" he groaned.

She whimpered his name, the movement of her hips stuttering when his lips wrapped around one pebbled peak and his fingers rolled and tweaked the other. His other hand dropped between her legs, finding her clit and massaging circles into it with the pad of his thumb. Her body quivered for a moment before she started to ride him with abandon, chasing their release. She could feel her walls tightening around him, heard the noises that were coming from both of their lips, the sound of the wicker furniture straining beneath their movements. 

Her hands clasped either side of his face, pulling him from her breast and bringing his eyes to meet hers as she pressed her forehead to his. "Cum with me, baby!" she told him. 

Her orgasm hit her hard and his name ripped from her mouth, the clenching of her walls around his cock while she continued to slam herself down onto him sending him roaring over the edge with her. His pulsing cock shot rope after rope of his seed up into her, and she rode him until they were both spent and gasping for air.

Andy let her body relax against him, his face still in her hands, foreheads touching, and gazes locked. His arms wrapped around her middle and he kissed her sweetly.

"Andy, I…" Lex started, the words he wanted to say right on the tip of his tongue, begging to be voiced. But, he couldn't. Not yet. Not until everything was out in the open between them and neither had to keep anything from the other. He pulled her closer and kissed her again, hoping she could feel what was in his heart.

Sunday couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

_ Elkridge, Maryland _

Ketch hadn't been very forthcoming with the information about the silver-haired older gentleman with gray eyes that had gotten them to the United States a whole day sooner than they had been expecting. A name—Alston—was all he had gotten, but along the way he had figured out a few things. On the flight from Berlin to Paris, he had decided there was no way the man was human. For one, the tiny puddle jumper tin can of a plane that they had been in looked like it had been shot down and put back together, and not with the right parts. Yet the plane flew smoother than Air Force One. Also, the fact that he said the Wright brothers taught him to fly and had the photographic evidence to back it up—where he looked exactly like he did today—was a pretty big indication he was of the non-human variety.

Frankie's mouth nearly hit the ground when they arrived at a private airport in Paris and switched from the rinky dink plane to a sleek, brand new personal jet complete with an onboard wait staff. He raised an eyebrow and filtered through all the supernatural information he had in his head when they were served tea and Alston drank a whole cup filled with just fresh cream. However, it wasn't until they stopped to refuel in Miami that it finally hit him.

Frankie had been searching for something in his backpack when a small bag of rock salt fell out and hit the ground, causing the granules to spill. Before he could move to clean it up, Alston was on the floor grumbling as he picked up the salt piece by piece, counting each one as he put them back in the bag.

"You're a fairy!" Frankie had blurted out.

Alston had simply looked up and winked at him while Ketch chuckled behind his tiny ceramic teacup.

No more was spoken on the matter until they had made it to the tiny city of Elkridge, Maryland just as the Saturday morning sun was rising. Frankie trailed behind his travel companions while Alston was walking them to the car he had acquired for them and explaining the quickest route to Bentonville, Virginia.

"We don't want to go there," Frankie said. "We need to get to Langley."

Alston abruptly halted, causing the other two to cease their steps. He turned to Frankie with a bright smile on his face. "I assure you, dear boy, you want to go where I'm telling you to go."

"How can you be so sure?" Frankie asked.

Alston pursed his lips for a moment before he spoke. "There are certain ones of my kind that can see the paths that others will take."

"So you can see the future?"

"Not quite, just the possibilities of certain choices that are made."

"Frankie!" Ketch scolded, cutting into the conversation before it could go further. "Stop badgering him. We have a two-hour drive ahead of us and we need to go."

"Yes, Arthur has a point," Alston agreed.

The fae continued on his path to the inconspicuous black sedan at the far end of the private hanger and handed a set of keys to Ketch. The Englishman popped the trunk, placing a shoulder bag he had been carrying inside before he thanked Alston for his help and settled into the driver's seat. Frankie repeated his actions, coming up to the fairy to shake his hand.

"I have a gift for you, Franklin," Alston said after he pulled his hand away. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, smooth, round stone. The rock was a dark charcoal gray and had a pattern of circles and triangles carved into its surface.

"What is it?" Frankie asked when the small stone was placed in his hand.

A sadness fell into Alston's eyes for a moment. However, he quickly recovered and smiled brightly. "Something that will surely get me into some hot water with the tribunal. But it is worth it."

Frankie closed his hand over the stone and placed it in his pocket. He knew he wouldn't get much more of an answer than that, but he was certain the rock would help in some way. "Why risk so much to help us? From what I've heard the tribunal in your realm isn't very… _ understanding _ ."

"Because there are a few of us that are quite fond of the human race and we would like to see you continue to prosper. Also," he paused before he spoke again, quickly looking around to make sure no one was near and his voice dropped a few octaves when he spoke again. "Ajal must be stopped."

"You're certain it's him."

"Yes. Ajal has been released and is aware of the mistakes that attributed to his demise. He knows how to accomplish his goal now. Alexandria, her love, and his friend are in more danger than any of them realize."

* * *

_ Bentonville, Virginia _

Lex and Andy laid tangled together in their bed at Seth and Justin's cabin, sharing lazy kisses as they relaxed in the afterglow of their session of morning sex. They had fallen into another round of passionate lovemaking after they had retired to their room the night before, leaving them to fall asleep naked wrapped around each other. When they had woken up in the same embrace, the heat between them almost instantly reignited.

Lex reached up to push a stray lock of Andy's hair behind her hair, threading his fingers through her tresses and pressing a kiss to her lips as he did. "I think I could get used to waking up like this."

"I do too," she agreed, tucking her head beneath his chin and snuggling into him.

Andy let herself completely relax in Lex's embrace, listening to the steady beat of his heart. Being with him felt right on levels she was still trying to comprehend and somehow in such a short time, his arms had become the safe haven she never knew she needed. When his arms were around her, the rest of the world seemed to melt away and the only thing that mattered was the two of them lost in the moment together.

She felt his breathing even out as he slowly fell back to sleep, and she would have given anything to drift off with him, but she could hear her phone vibrating on the nightstand next to the bed and knew there were only a select few people that would be calling her. She had to answer. With a silent huff, she carefully untangled from Lex and rolled over to grab her phone to find a text from Sam.

_ We need to talk A.S.A.P. _

She inwardly groaned and got up to pull on Lex's baby blue t-shirt and her black cotton shorts before she quietly made her way out of the bedroom. When she entered the living room from the stairs she saw Seth and Justin sitting on the sectional with cups of coffee in their hands while they watched TV. They both smiled as she went to sit on the other end of the couch.

"Morning sunshine!" Seth greeted cheerily. "Didn't expect to see you up so early."

"It's after ten," Andy said.

Justin chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. "Our bedrooms are right next to each other."

Andy blushed as she caught his meaning. "Oh! Sorry!"

"Don't be. It's all good," Justin assured her. "But, why  _ are _ you up? Where's Lex?"

"He fell back asleep. I'm up because Sam sent me a text and told me to call him."

They both nodded and she dialed Sam's number, putting the device on the speakerphone function so they could all hear. Sam picked up on the first ring.

"Andy you need to get over here,  _ now _ !" Sam said urgently.

The trio was instantly on alert and subconsciously moving closer together. "Sam, what's wrong?" Andy asked.

"You just…" Sam paused for a moment. "Just get here, Andy."

"Do you need us to come, too?" Justin asked.

"I think it would be better if at least one of you stayed with Lex," Sam told them.

Andy shared a knowing look with the two men beside her. All three could feel the tension pouring from Sam even with his voice coming through the phone.

"Give me time to change and I'm on my way," Andy said.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Andy navigated her car up the black top driveway to the cottage the Winchesters and the others were staying in. Her attention was immediately drawn to the black sedan parked next to Dean's Impala.

"Who's car is that?" Seth asked from the passenger's seat.

"I have no idea," Andy said, her hunter's instincts flaring inside her. "You can use that gun Justin sent you with, right?"

Seth nodded as he opened the glove compartment and pulled out his Glock 43 and Andy's Beretta. He handed her the gun as she shut off the car's engine and they exited the vehicle. They held their weapons at the ready and made their way to the front door, all the while keeping a watch on their surroundings. She glanced at Seth before she raised her hand to knock, but before she could the door swung open.

Andy's mouth hit the ground as she peered up at the tall and muscular man grinning at her. 

"Hey, Fearless Leader. Long time no see," Frankie said.

"Frankie!" Andy croaked, jumping and throwing her arms around his neck to hug him tightly.

He quickly returned her gesture, wrapping his arms around her middle while her feet dangled a few inches from the ground. "Missed you, too," he said as their embrace ended. His eyes drifted over to a confused Seth as Andy took a step back. "Hi! I'm Frankie. Are you Seth or Justin?" he asked, extending his hand.

"Oh!" Seth exclaimed, Frankie's identity dawning on him. He accepted and shook the other man's hand. "I'm Seth. It's nice to meet you. Andy has told me about you."

"Yeah, I've been told about you and Justin as well," Frankie said. "Cas said you guys are the only reason Andy is standing here right now. Thank you."

Seth grinned while throwing his arm around Andy's shoulders. "We've become quite fond of her. Couldn't just let some curse get her."

"Speaking of Cas," Andy said when Seth released her. "Where is he and everyone else, and why are you here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I've been trying to get a hold of you!"

Frankie sighed and stepped back inside. "You guys should come in. We need to talk."

Stowing her gun back in the waistband of her jeans, Andy walked into the living room of the cottage. The first thing she noticed was the Winchesters, Castiel, and Rowena standing in front of a small couch with uncertain expressions etched into their features. She caught Sam's eye first and noticed that his gaze was darting between her and something to her left. When she followed his eyes, her blood boiled and pure fury raged through her system at the sight of Arthur Ketch.

"YOU SLIMY SON OF A BITCH!" she shouted, and lunged for him, ready to land a right hook to his jaw.

Ketch dodged her attack at the last second and Frankie came up behind her to grab her around the waist.

"Frankie! What the fuck are you doing?!" Andy demanded, trying to wriggle from her friend's grasp. "Do you not see who's fucking standing there?!"

"Nice to see you too, Alexandria," Ketch said with an amused smirk on his lips.

"Frankie, let me go!!" she said through gritted teeth.

"Andy! Stop!" Frankie begged. "He helped me get to you!"

"I don't care what the fuck he did!" she shot back, trying to pry Frankie's arms from her. "Did you forget he tried to kill us?!"

"We need his help!" Frankie tried to reason.

"With what?!"

"Ajal!"

Andy instantly froze at the demon's name, memories of that night six years ago filling her mind. The bastard had taken someone dear to her and had almost killed her  _ and _ Frankie as well. But Crowely had locked him away so deep in the depths of hell that not even the dumbest of demons dared to venture there.

"How?" was the only word she could muster, tears filling her eyes.

"We aren't clear on that part just yet," Frankie admitted, cautiously releasing her. "But we have more urgent matters to take care of before we dive into that cluster fuck."

"Like what?" Andy asked, trying to hide the tremble in her voice.

"The reason I haven't contacted you is because we were jumped by vampires in Egypt," Frankie started to explain. "There was more to that nest than we thought, and the leader, Ramone, came after us. Andy… he's working with Ajal and the bastard has sent them after us. I didn't know if you were being watched or what was going on here, and I didn't want to risk contacting you and bringing down a horde of vampires on your head. I called Ketch and he helped me get to you."

Andy raked her fingers through her hair, shaking her head and trying to clear it. "Does Gage even know you're here?"

"No, we couldn't risk him either."

"How many are we dealing with?" Andy asked. From her peripheral, she saw the Winchesters and Cas cringe.

"The last count I had was thirteen, counting Ramone," Ketch said

"Holy shit!" Seth exclaimed. "That's a lot of fucking vamps."

"Do they know where we are?" Andy asked.

"We aren't sure," Frankie said. "But I think it's best if we prepare as if they do."

"Fuck!" Andy said, a sickening thought occurring to her. She cast her gaze in Seth's direction. "We have to get back to Lex and Justin!"

"Looks like Lex is getting a crash course just like I thought he would," Dean mumbled.

"Dean!" Sam and Cas scolded while Rowena landed a smack to the back of the elder Winchester's head.

" _ Really _ not the time, Dean!" Rowena glowered. Her expression softened marginally as she turned to Frankie and Andy. "What's the plan?"

"Wait," Andy said, her stomach twisting as she looked around the room, finally noticing the absence of two people she expected to be with Frankie. "Where's Liam and Stacy?" She turned back to her friend and the grim look in his eyes laced with guilt was like a punch to her stomach. "Frankie… No!" She could feel tears welling in her eyes again. "Please, tell me they aren't dead!"

Frankie hung his head and released a ragged breath. "No, they aren't dead. It's much worse than that."

* * *

Consciousness slowly rolled over Lex as he rose from sleep. Feeling that Andy wasn't in his arms, he turned over and blindly reached out for her. When the cool sheets of the empty spot next to him hit his skin his eyes popped open to find he was the only one in the bed. He sat up, looking about the room and wondering where she was until his eyes fell on the folded piece of paper on top of the nightstand beside him. He grabbed the note and opened it to find Andy's handwriting.

_ Ran out with Seth for a few. Didn't want to wake you. Be back soon. _

_ xoxo, _

_ Andy _

He laid the paper down and dragged himself out of bed to pull on his boxers, jeans, and a baby blue t-shirt. He smiled to himself when he caught the scent of Andy's sweetly scented body wash on his shirt.

Once he was dressed he made his way out of the room and down the stairs. Being that he didn't make much noise when he entered the living room, Justin wasn't alerted to him being awake, and Lex found him in front of his bookcases with the two center set of shelves pulled open like doors. Lex quietly walked around, curious as to what his friend was doing and why he had never noticed that the cases opened. 

Lex's eyes went wide with astonishment as he took in the weapons and spell ingredients organized in the bookcase, but it was seeing Justin loading one of the sawed-off shotguns with shells—that he was certain were homemade—that really took him off guard. He knew that what his friend did required certain weapons to get the job done, but seeing the gun  _ actually _ in his hand was something entirely different. What exactly was he preparing for? Lex mentally took note of every item in the hidden arsenal. He had a feeling that if Justin felt the need to have this open and on display when he knew Lex was in the house, there had to be a good reason for it. Aside from that, and trying to push away the dread that the thought of  _ something _ coming brought, he also couldn't help but be impressed with the whole set up. He had spent time looking at the books on the shelves, never even dreaming of what laid just behind the texts.

"Holy shit!" Lex breathed.

Justin quickly spun around, his mouth dropping open when he saw his friend standing behind him. "Fuck! Lex! I didn't hear you get up! What are you doing up?" Justin's tone was frantic as he scrambled to come up with an excuse as to why he had a mostly illegal collection of weapons hidden inside his furniture. "This isn't what it looks like!"

Lex brought his gaze to the man in front of him, biting back a laugh when he saw the look of complete disarray on his friend's face. He just couldn't help but mess with him. "Then what the hell is it, Justin?! Because it looks like a case full of felonies! What the hell are you planning to do with all of this?! Does Seth know about it? Do you know how much trouble I could get in if I'm here and you get busted or if I don't report this?!"

"Lex! Man, no!" Justin exclaimed, having trouble getting his mind to comprehend the accusing questions. He made a living out of lying to cover his ass! Why was he having such a hard time now?! "Dude! I swear, I'm not doing anything wrong! I need this stuff for work!"

"For work?!" Lex scoffed. "You sell pharmaceuticals!" Lex turned to head back towards the stairs; he was about to lose his composure and laugh. "I'm sorry, man, but I have to call the cops! I can't risk getting thrown in with this bullshit!"

"Lex, no!" Justin croaked, quickly putting the gun he was holding away and running in front of his friend. "I can explain!"

Lex crossed his arms over his chest, extremely proud of the hard stare he managed to keep on his features. "Then explain!"

Justin stared at him dumbfounded for a second and then scrubbed his hands down his face. "Oh for fuck's sake!" he grumbled. He was so much better at this than that. An idea crept into his thoughts. It wasn't a good idea and he knew Lex wouldn't buy it for a second, but dammit, he couldn't think of anything else. "Would you believe you're dreaming?"

Lex couldn't hold back anymore and a peal of laughter broke from his lips. He had to lean against the sectional to steady himself as he tried to catch his breath. "Is that  _ really _ the best you got?!"

"Uh…" was the only thing Justin seemed to be able to get out.

Lex straightened as he slowly controlled his guffawing. "Dude, I know."

"You know what exactly?" Justin questioned, narrowing his eyes at his friend.

"That you, Andy, and the  _ Winchesters _ are hunters. Cas is an angel."

Justin's mouth hit the ground again. He could almost feel his brain short circuit trying to process what had just come out of Lex's mouth. "Did… Did Andy tell you already? She didn't mention that this morning and I'm  _ pretty _ sure she would have!"

"No, Andy hasn't told me anything yet. I have a very good friend that pointed me in the right direction to find the answers for myself."

"And you're… cool with it?" Justin asked in disbelief. "I mean, not that I'm not super thrilled you aren't trying to commit all of us, but you seem to be handling this  _ really _ well."

"I'm not gonna lie: I'm still a little freaked out. It's not every day you find out monsters are real and that three of the people that you love most in the world fight them. But you and Seth are family to me, and Andy, well… you called that one. It was either accept it or walk away, and leaving wasn't an option for me."

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that," Justin said with a breath of relief. "I was worried you would say fuck us all. Andy has been terrified you were gonna leave her. She was going to tell you tomorrow after her team checked in with her."

"I know, I was waiting until then to tell her I knew." There was a beat of silence before he spoke again. "I can't believe you told me you were a pharmaceutical sales rep."

"Oh!" Justin chuckled. "You're one to talk Mr.  _ I work for a greeting card company _ !"

"Wait… Do you know that—"

"You work for the CIA?" Justin finished for him. "Yeah, Seth and I have known for years."

Lex crossed his arms over his chest as he regarded his friend. "It seems we have a lot to talk about."

And they did. Seated at the dining room table, they spilled the secrets they had been keeping from each other. Lex spoke of how he had been suspicious and looked up Sam and Dean in the F.B.I database to find blank files, and when Andy had miraculously healed from her injury, he had unloaded on Joshua. He went on to explain how Joshua had told him to research the Men of Letters and after finding the name written on a notebook in the coffee shop's office he had done just that. Then afterwards Joshua had told him everything.

Justin, after confirming what Joshua had told him, explained that Seth had been the one to discover his connection to the CIA and about how the bracelet he wore was really their way of protecting him the best they could. He admitted to "testing" everyone that they could who came into his life to make sure they were safe and that's how they realized Andy was a hunter. But it wasn't until Lex had told them about her being attacked in Rhode Island that they got involved. Justin explained how the things he had said that day made him suspicious and that's why they come over. He had become convinced that there was more to Andy's injury than they could see, and he had been right.

"So, if you hadn't done what you did, she would have…" Lex started, staring down at his hands clasped together on the table's surface and rolling the wooden beads of his bracelet in his fingers.

"She would have died," Justin confirmed quietly. "And I wasn't about to let that happen. Aside from the fact that it's my job to stop that kinda thing, Lex, both Seth and I saw the way you looked at her. You've  _ never _ been that happy with someone."

"So, it wasn't just because she's a hunter that you two were so supportive of us?"

"I mean, it helped, but no, that wasn't the reason. We both genuinely believe you two have found something with each other that a lot of people search their whole lives for and never find."

"I honestly think that, too," Lex said. "I guess that's why all of this was so easy for me to accept. She's it for me. I can't explain how I know it, I just do."

"Have you told her that?"

"No, not yet. I was waiting until all this was out in the open."

"Probably a good plan, actually."

"Speaking of plans," Lex said. "What are we doing about this demon that has his sights set on Andy?"

"That's where she and Seth are now," he told him. "Sam texted Andy earlier and said they needed to talk. They went up to where they're staying to find out what's going on. Hopefully, we have a name and can get started on actually solving this issue."

Justin's cell phone rang in his pocket before Lex could respond and he pulled it out of his pocket to find Seth's name on the caller idea.

"Speaking of the devil," Justin said as he accepted the call and put it on speakerphone. He had nothing to hide anymore. "Hey, babe! You'll never guess what—"

"Justin, you need to get Lex and get our stuff together,  _ now _ !" Seth's urgent voice cut him off mid-sentence through the phone's speaker.

"Seth, what's going on?!" Justin asked, his hunter instincts kicking into overdrive.

"I'll explain more when we get there, but we are pretty sure we got about thirteen vampires on our asses," Seth explained. "Frankie, Andy, and I are on the way to you and Lex now. Sam, Dean, and Cas are following behind us. Ketch and Rowena are on their way to find and ward another safe house."

"Wait!" Justin said, running through what his boyfriend had just said. "Frankie is in the states?  _ Arthur _ Ketch? Seth, you gotta give me more to go on than that!"

"Babe, I will," Seth said with exasperation. "But right now we just have to all get somewhere safe. We don't know what the vamps know. Just get Lex and get the stuff we are gonna need. Oh… and… you might wanna start priming Lex to get his world turned upside down."

"Yeah," Justin said as he cast a glance in Lex's direction. "I think I got that covered. Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Yes," Seth said, a graveness entering his voice. "Andy is sending you pictures of Liam and Stacy. They've been turned, hon. If you see them…"

"I know what to do," Justin said, raking a hand through his hair. "Get back here as fast as you can."

"We are. I love you, Justin."

"I love you too, Seth."

Justin disconnected the call and laid his phone on the table. He turned a grim gaze to Lex. "Please tell me the CIA has some form of hand to hand combat training required."

"Some. Stiles has taught me some things, too. What did he mean by they were turned?"

"They're vampires now and likely too driven by bloodlust to give a damn about who they were before they were turned."

"Is there any cure?" Lex asked. He knew how much the two meant to Andy and that what would most likely happen to them would cut her deeply.

"There is," Justin admitted. "But it only works if they haven't fed. If the cure was an option, Seth would have said so."

"So, we have to fight them?"

Justin nodded as he stood, motioning for Lex to follow him. He led him back to the bookcase and took out two machetes. "What do you know about vampires?" he asked, handing Lex one of the blades.

"They're super strong and fast, pretty much all the mainstream theories are bogus, and the only way to kill them is by cutting their heads off."

"Angel blades will kill them, too," Justin said, pointing to the mentioned weapon. "But I don't want you getting that close unless you absolutely have to." He searched his mind for anything else he needed to know. "I've got a stash of dead man's blood upstairs. It's toxic to them if you can get it in their bloodstream or trick them into drinking it. Also, they have a crazy sense of smell. I have some stuff to make something that will mask our scent, but if they already know where we are it's useless."

"Anything else I need to know?"

"If they sniff the air and their eyes dilate, get the fuck away as fast as you can cos you're about to be lunch."

Lex froze as Justin's words sunk in and the memory of his awkward encounter in the elevator came crashing into his mind. The man in the gray fedora! He had done just that! "Fuck!" 

"Lex?" Justin questioned.

"There was this guy in the elevator Friday morning," Lex started. "He gave me a bad feeling from the second I saw him! He fucking sniffed me and when I saw his eyes… they were so blown I could barely see the color in them!"

"Fuck!" Justin cursed. "They do fucking know where we are. Come on Lex, we gotta get our shit together and be ready to get the hell outta Dodge the second Andy and Seth get here."

Without warning, the backdoor near the dining room table was kicked open and off its hinges, sending the wood crashing into the table and into the kitchen. Justin jerked Lex back to stand in front of him, his machete held ready to attack as a man and woman stepped through the open doorway. Lex recognized them instantly from the pictures Joshua had shown him and his stomach dropped as their vampire teeth descended from their gums.

"Liam… Stacy," Lex said, almost choking on their names. The sickening grins on their faces told him that the two standing in front of him were no longer anything resembling the people Andy had spent the last five years of her life with.

"Well, look at that," Stacy drawled. "They seem to already know who we are, Liam. I guess Andy's been running that fucking mouth of hers."

Liam closed his eyes briefly, breathing in deeply. "She isn't here." His eyes narrowed dangerously on Lex as he pointed at him. "But her scent is  _ all over _ that one. I think Ramone was right. Andy has a new fuck toy. We should drain him dry."

"Lex!" Justin said. "Get the fuck outta here!  _ NOW! _ "

"No!" Lex said as he moved to stand beside his friend. "I'm not leaving you. We're doing this together." He positioned himself to fight like Stiles had taught him and raised his machete. "Aim for the throat, right?"

"Lex—"

"If he wants to fight, let him fight," Stacy cut in. "We have this place surrounded anyway. He won't get far before one of us rips his throat out. Either way, you both die today."

Justin and Lex's eyes met. Without needing words, they both understood there was only one way out of this, and with a nod of agreement they both charged at the vampires.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: lots of violence, lots of blood, and gore. Heed the warnings. This chapter gets really bloody.

_ Bentonville, _ Virginia

Andy gripped the steering wheel in front of her so tightly that her knuckles turned snow white as she pressed the gas pedal to the floor. Her mind raced with the information she had been told back at the cottage and she glanced in the rearview mirror to make sure Dean was keeping up with her in the Impala. After deciding that Ketch and Rowena would go ahead of them to find a safe place for them to flee to until they could take care of their pest problem, everyone else headed to Seth and Justin's cabin. 

Frankie had also informed Andy about how Ramone had shown up at the house they were staying in with the rest of his nest and how they had attacked relentlessly until he, Liam, and Stacy were restrained and on their knees. Ramone then had spoken of how Ajal had come to him and how they had struck a deal for him to bring Andy to the demon at any cost. The vampire's reward? Three new vampires to add to his nest. Frankie had been made to watch as the lead vampire slit his wrist and force-fed Liam and Stacy his blood. 

Frankie had somehow managed to break free from his captor and tried to get to his friends, but they were dragged away into a waiting car. His only choice was to flee as the rest of the fanged creatures turned on him. He had to get to Andy, had to warn her about what was coming, and the only place, the only person, he could go to that he was sure wouldn't send hell raining down on her head was Ketch.

Andy mentally kicked herself for being so naive. She should have known when she couldn't get in touch with any of them that something was wrong and should have started hunting them down the instant that the idea entered her mind. But she hadn't, and now she was racing back to Lex and Justin in hopes that the vampires hadn't tracked them down yet. She groaned inwardly thinking of what she had thrown Lex into. He was about to find out about everything exactly the way she hadn't wanted him to.

Tears pricked at her eyes and she thought of all the missed opportunities to tell him about what was going on and what she had really been doing for the past six years. How would he react knowing that not only had she lied to him, but she had essentially put him smack dab in the middle of the blood that would ultimately be shed? She wouldn't blame him if he hated her—in fact, she fully expected it. He would have to be insane to want anything to do with her after all was said and done. What had blossomed between them was something she thought she would never be lucky enough to find, and she had ruined it in less than two weeks. 

Andy felt a tear escape her eye, and she quickly wiped it away as she resumed her grip on the wheel, missing the look Seth shot Frankie from the backseat.

"Andy?" Frankie questioned from the passenger's seat.

"I'm fine," Andy snapped, her voice thick with emotion.

"Andy, I know you better than that."

"Frankie, not now," Andy pleaded, barely able to hold back her tears.

"Fine, don't tell me," Frankie said, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back into his seat. "But I'm gonna be awfully distracted if we have to fight wondering what's wrong with my best friend and if I could have helped her somehow. What if we get separated and something happens? Andy, I don't think I'll be able to live with myself if—"

"Really," Andy said, choking out a strained laugh. "You're gonna guilt trip me?"

"Whatever works."

Andy released a breath, giving in. "I messed up. I met this amazing man who's everything I never dreamed I would be able to find and I've ruined it."

"How did you ruin it?"

"By keeping this huge secret from him. Frankie, he's gonna hate me."

"No, he's not!" Seth piped up. "Andy, Lex feels as deeply for you as you do for him. Yeah, it may take a seriously long and detailed discussion for him to wrap his brain around all of this, but he's not going anywhere."

"Seth, I want to— _ WHAT THE FUCK _ ?!" Andy slammed on the brakes, her tires screeching as her speed sent the car swerving to a harsh stop, coming within inches of hitting the man that was suddenly standing in the middle of the road wearing an all-black suit and a wicked grin. Just as Dean skidded the Impala to a stop beside her, Andy recognized the man. "Ajal!" she growled and grabbed the angel blade she had tucked to the side of her seat when she got in the car.

The Winchesters and Castiel came rushing from their vehicle while Andy, Seth, and Frankie flew from theirs, all armed with angel blades and ready to fight the demon in front of them with his black void eyes focused on Andy and Frankie.

"Alexandria! Franklin!" Ajal purred. "So wonderful to see you again." He turned a side-eye to the Winchesters. "You too, I guess."

"Alright, Ajal," Andy said, stepping in front of the group. "You wanted me, you have me. Let the others go!"

Ajal's smile grew, turning the stomachs of everyone present. "Oh, Alexandria. I will have you soon enough, and I'm not here to fight. Everyone here will leave this meeting in one piece, so you can lower your pig stickers."

"Then what do you want?" Frankie growled, he and the Winchesters coming up to flank Andy on either side.

Ajal rolled his eyes in annoyance, walking forward and putting barely a foot between him and the hunters. "If you must know, it started out as simple revenge." He turned to stroll past the front of the Impala, his hand trailing along the hood. "After Asmodeus released me from the prison Crowley locked me in, all I wanted was to hunt each of you down one by one and kill you slowly." He turned, placing both palms on the hood of the car and relishing in the twitch of ire he saw in Dean's eyes. "But then, my wonderful Prince told me where I went wrong. I killed the wrong bitch that night six years ago. Though, it was fun watching your faces as I ripped her still-beating heart from her chest and sunk my teeth into it."

Andy grabbed Frankie's forearm when she felt him go rigid beside her, posing to attack. "Frankie, no!"

He gave a guttural growl in response but listened to her nonetheless, even through Ajal's dark chuckle.

"You see," Ajal continued, raising from the car and rushing back to stand before Andy. "Mandy was a descendant from the  _ wrong _ lineage." He raised a hand to snap his fingers.

All angel blades suddenly clattered on the pavement.

"What the fuck?!" Seth exclaimed when he tried to move to grab his weapon and found he couldn't move at all.

The rest of the group quickly realized they were in the same predicament, all except for Castiel who quickly rushed towards the demon. Ajal laughed bitterly and raised his hand, shooting a blast of energy forward that knocked the angel off his feet and past both vehicles. He scrambled to his feet just as a circle of holy fire shot up around him.

"Did you really think I wouldn't prepare for the Winchesters' pet angel?" Ajal inquired listlessly.

"Oh, I'm going to  _ enjoy _ ending you!" Dean spat, struggling against his invisible bonds.

The demon ignored the hunter's threat, casually walking amongst their frozen bodies. "For my spell to work, I needed a sacrifice—well, three sacrifices—from a certain set of bloodlines." He came to a stop in front of Andy again, staring into her azure blue eyes. "Guess who's from one of those bloodlines."

"No," Andy whispered, starting to connect the dots.

Ajal threw his head back in laughter. "Yes!" he shouted and brought his gaze back to hers. "Franklin's whore never needed to die. It should have been you." He ignored the fury coming from the men around her, too enthralled by the devastation settling in Andy's eyes. "It's good you didn't. Like I said, I need three. I didn't think I would be able to find them. But low and behold! The three of you found each other! I still need to be sure, however, which is where the vampires come into play. The disgusting scavengers are at least good for something I suppose, even if I did have to help them because those idiots underestimated their opponents. You weren't supposed to figure things out so quickly."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sam demanded.

Ajal rolled his gaze to the youngest Winchester. "Haven't you figured it out? I thought you were supposed to be the smart one." He turned back to Andy. "Good thing you have Lex to be the brains of the operation now." He laughed, turning and starting to walk away from them. He snapped his fingers, releasing the invisible bonds around the hunters and extinguishing the holy fire. "I was simply a distraction. You should probably check on your boy toy, Alexandria." And with that, he was gone.

Panic quickly set in. They all grabbed their angel blades and ran back to their respective vehicles, no words needing to be spoken. Every single one of them knew what Ajal had meant and what they had to do. The vampires were already here and they had Lex and Justin.

It was time to fight.

* * *

The scene at Seth and Justin's cabin was almost serene when Andy and Dean peeled their cars into the gravel drive. The hunters and the angel shared skeptical glances as they exited the vehicles and looked around. It was quiet… _ too _ quiet. On impulse, the group moved to stand together, scanning their surroundings and gripping the machetes they now carried in place of the angel blades tightly.

"I think we got a bit of company," Dean said, pointing his blade towards the wooded area to the left of the cabin.

"Yeah, more than a bit," Frankie said.

A group of ten vampires emerged from the woods all around them. Hungry grins were plastered on their faces while they slowly started to advance.

"Frankie, Andy, get in the house and get Lex and Justin," Seth said, readying himself for what was about to happen.

"Seth—" Andy started.

"Get our men, Andy!" Seth demanded, but she didn't miss the pleading in his eyes.

With a quick nod, she and Frankie took off at a dead run just as the vampires rushed forward. They heard the fighting erupt behind them when they reached the front door. Sensing her need to rush back to help, Frankie grabbed Andy's wrist and hauled her through the entrance. However, they both stopped cold at the sight that met their eyes.

Liam and Stacy glared daggers in their direction with their fangs prominently displayed. But that wasn't what turned their stomachs. In front of them on their knees with their hands tied behind their backs and ugly black and purple bruises forming on their faces were Lex and Justin. Stacy smirked wickedly and pressed the barrel of her brushed chrome desert eagle into Lex's temple while Liam did the same with his matching pistol to Justin.

"Bout time you two joined us," Stacy sneered. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't get to watch us kill your boys here."

"It took quite a bit of restraint," Liam said, turning his pupil blown eyes to Lex. "That one reeks of you, Andy. It would have been just like killing you before we actually  _ got _ to kill you."

"Liam, Stacy," Andy said, her heart twisting at the hatred in her former friends' voices. "This isn't you, guys. It's the bloodlust talking. I know you—"

"YOU KNOW NOTHING YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Stacy roared and fisted her hand in Lex's hair, jerking his head backwards. She looked down and laughed at the glare in his eyes. "I can see why you chose this one," she cooed and lowered her head to sniff at his neck. "He's a hell of a looker and damn can he put up a fight." Her eyes, now as blown as Liam's, flicked back to Andy. "I bet he's going to taste absolutely delicious."

This time it was Frankie that reached out, wrapping his hand around the crook of Andy's elbow to keep her from attacking. "Guys, we can help you," he said. "You both know there are ways you can live with us. Let them go and we can figure this all out."

"Yeah, cos the last time you helped turned out  _ so _ well for us," Liam said sarcastically. "Besides, who says we don't like the new us? You have no idea how freeing it is to not have to deal with what's morally right and wrong anymore. Give me bloodlust over a conscience any day."

"You don't mean that!" Andy exclaimed, her resolve for staying cool starting to waiver the longer she saw Lex and Justin restrained in front of her.

"Oh, but they do."

Andy and Frankie quickly turned their attention to the gaping hole where the back door had once been to see Ramone striding through it. Stacy instantly stood straight, releasing Lex's hair as she and Liam looked to their maker while he strolled over to stand between them, his focus never leaving Andy and Frankie.

"They are completely mine now," the vampire leader continued. "And I don't plan on letting them go anytime soon."

With everyone's attention focused on Ramone, none of them caught the look Justin cast in Lex's direction that caught his friend's eye. Lex's brow furrowed for a moment while he watched Justin's eyes flick back and forth before he realized he was wanting him to look at the rope cinching his hands together. The hunter had managed to figure out the knot used to tie his binding and was trying to show his friend how to discreetly undo the haphazard tie.

Realizing there was no getting through to their former teammates, Andy and Frankie squared up, raising their blades and preparing for a fight.

"Your beef is with us," Frankie spat. "Stop hiding behind your human shields and fight us."

"Foolish humans," Ramone said. "I don't want to fight you. I want you to be mine, both of you. Having two military-trained children has been so useful. I can only imagine what I could accomplish with four."

"What about your deal with Ajal?" Andy growled. "Are you really daft enough to double-cross a demon?"

"I'll deal with that!" Ramone snapped. "Now, blades on the ground and on your knees or I'll have Liam and Stacy blow your friends' brains all over the floor."

For the first time since she had entered, Andy met Lex's eyes. She had expected to find many things in his amber orbs: anger, hatred, fear, and confusion just to name a few. However, what she saw shining brilliantly in the golden hues was pure determination. She caught the subtle movement of his shoulders and after a quick glance at Justin, she knew they were almost free of their bindings. But they needed a distraction to get away from the barrels of the guns still pressed to their heads. Her eyes went back to Liam and Stacy, studying them. Their pupils were blown so large that there was only a thin circle of color, their breathing was ragged, and their skin was sickly pale even for a vampire. Simply stated, they were hungry, and she had a feeling that even the smallest drop of blood would send them over the edge.

An idea emerged, and while she wished she could fill in her best friend standing next to her, she hoped he would catch on quick enough.

"OK," Andy said, raising her hands in the air even with her neck. "We give up."

"I'm sorry, we what?!" Frankie demanded, quickly turning his eyes to her. His confusion vanished, replaced instantaneously with dread when he caught the look in her eyes and saw the way her blade ever so slowly leaned toward her. "Andy, no!"

But his protest came too late.

Andy moved quick as lightning, bringing her machete to her neck and slicing her skin just enough for her blood to run down her skin. As she sprinted out the back door frame, Liam and Stacy both hissed loudly, throwing the humans they were holding along with their guns to the ground and barreling after her as fast as their legs would carry them.

"NO! YOU FUCKING IDIOTS!" Ramone bellowed and started to try and run after them.

Unfortunately, he hadn't noticed that when Lex and Justin hit the ground their hands were free from the ropes. They both used what leverage they could quickly gain and launched themselves into the vampire's legs, sending him crashing to the ground hard. Before he could recover, the two men were using their bodies to hold him down while Frankie crossed to them and wasted no time in bringing his machete down on the vampire's neck. The blade sliced through Ramone's flesh like a hot knife in butter and made a wet thunk as it separated the bone and bit into the wooden floor.

Justin and Lex jumped to their feet and Frankie pulled his blade free, wiping it on his jeans and watching as Ramone's severed head rolled to the side. It only took a second for Lex's bearings to come back to him and remember where his girlfriend was.

"Andy!" he shouted and turned to scan the room for the machete he had earlier. His eyes found it by the couch and he rushed forward only to have Frankie grab him by the arm.

"Lex!" Frankie said. 

Lex turned fury-filled eyes to him. "Let me go! I'm going to help Andy!"

"I need you and Justin to help the others," Frankie said. "I'll help Andy. Liam and Stacy are my and her responsibility."

"No—"

"Do you know who I am, Lex?" Frankie said, cutting off his protest. He waited for Lex to give him an agitated nod. "Then you know I got her. The others need your help."

Lex simply nodded once more and turned to Justin, who had gathered both of their blades during his exchange with Frankie and was extending one towards him.

"Let's not get our asses kicked this time," Justin said as Lex accepted his weapon.

Without another word, Justin and Lex ran out the front door while Franke went through the frame that had once held the backdoor.

Frankie made it out into the backyard to find that Andy had made it close to the dock before their former friends caught up with her. He ran at full speed, but as he closed in it was almost as if his world started to move in slow motion. Andy landed a hard punch to Liam's gut, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground. With her machete gripped almost vice-like in her hand she swung around, slicing it through Stacy's throat. But instead of rounding on Liam like she should have, the gravity of what she had just done slammed into her and she watched Stacy's body and severed head crumble to the ground. Frankie screamed Andy's name, trying to break her from her trance. 

But he was too late.

Liam had recovered and seized his opportunity. He grabbed Andy from behind, locked her arms to her side and sank his teeth into her neck. Blood spurted from their connection and her piercing scream filled the air. 

It felt like a kick to the face when time started to move normally again for Frankie. He could see the color draining from Andy's body and fought back the sick rising in his throat, launching himself at Liam as soon as he was close enough.

There was a sickening sound of a squelching, wet tear when the vampire's mouth was ripped from Andy's neck and she crumbled to the ground, blood flowing from the gaping hole in her neck and forming a pool around her body at an alarming rate. Frankie roared, pinning Liam to the ground and unleashing an onslaught of punches to his face that had the vampire's head bouncing off the ground with every hit. When his eyes started to roll toward the back of his head, Frankie dragged him to his knees to slice his machete through his former teammate’s neck.

He didn't even wait for the body or head to hit the ground before he was running back to Andy. Her body was limp and white as paper when he dropped to sit on his knees and maneuvered her so her head could rest on his lap. Her wound was pouring blood onto him, covering his jeans and squirting every time her heart beat, and he realized that her heart rate was dropping fast. She looked up at him, trying to speak as he jerked off his shirt and pressed it to the hole in her neck.

"You're gonna be OK, Andy! Everything's gonna be OK!" He tried to stay calm and reassure her, all the while screaming a prayer to Castiel in his mind.

_ CAS!!!! ANDY'S DYING!!! WE NEED YOU!!! _

* * *

Justin and Lex emerged onto the front porch and were launched into a scene that Lex could only describe as something from a horror film, and he stared transfixed. The Douglas Fir of the stairs was covered in drying blood with a headless body lying across the bottom step and his stomach turned when he noticed the head from the body staring up at him from the middle of the staircase. 

Another dead vampire laid a few feet away from the first. However, this one's head was nowhere to be seen. The hunters and the angel were locked in a battle for their lives with two of the monsters on them apiece. Castiel and Sam seemed to be holding off the teeth that wanted to sink into them fairly well all things considered, but Seth had been knocked to the ground. Justin screamed his lover's name, and without a second thought sprinted forward, jumping over the vampire on the bottom step and running towards the creatures about to devour the man he loved.

The sound of breaking glass as Dean was thrown into the back windshield of Seth and Justin's car broke Lex from his trance and he quickly turned his whole body in the direction of the commotion. The elder Winchester was being dragged off the vehicle and to the ground by one fanged nightmare and the other quickly pinned him to the ground.

"DEAN!" Lex shouted and without thinking rocketed down the steps.

It didn't matter that he was more than sure he wasn't any kind of a match for these supernatural creatures; something deep inside spurred him on, a feeling trying to push its way to the surface and telling him what to do. He collided with the monster pinning Dean, dropping his machete but taking it off guard enough for Lex to wrestle it to the ground. He scrambled to his feet, grabbing his blade as the dazed monster tried to push itself up. Without hesitation, pure adrenaline fueling his actions, he swung his blade as hard as he could, making a direct hit that sliced clean through the vampire's throat. The head from his kill fell and he heard the sound of another blade cutting through flesh and bone. He spun around to see the body of the other fanged bastard falling to the ground at Dean's feet.

"Thanks," Dean said genuinely, their gazes meeting. He could see a frantic look start to creep into Lex's eyes as the reality of what had just happened set in and Dean clasped a hand on his shoulder to ground him. "Hey! You got this!" He waited for Lex to nod before he continued. "Come on, let's gank the rest of these sons of bitches!"

The fight continued. Lex and Dean rushed to help Sam while Seth and Justin, after taking out their own opponents, went to Castiel's aid. One by one the vampires met their defeat, bodies collapsing onto the gravel and dirt while their heads went flying. When the growls and hisses from the fanged monsters were finally gone, the humans and the angel stood—bumped, scraped, and bruised—but victorious. The group stood together in the middle of the bloodied chaos scattered around the yard, looking around them into the woods waiting for another wave to attack. However, it never came.

"Everyone alright?" Sam asked, taking stock of the men around him. Everyone seemed to at least be in one piece, even if they were just a little rattled. "Where's Frankie and Andy?"

The response he received wasn't one that sat well with any of them. Castiel suddenly cried out, clutching the side of his head with one hand and grabbing on to Dean's shoulder to keep from hitting the ground with the other. He heard his name being called in the background, but the only thing he could focus on was Frankie's prayer screaming in his head.

_ CAS!!!! ANDY'S DYING!!! WE NEED YOU!!! _

"ANDY!" the angel shouted, righting his body and running as fast as his legs could carry him to where Frankie's prayer had originated from with the rest of the men hot in his wake.

The group skidded to a stop when they realized what they were seeing. Frankie was clutching Andy's limp body to him, tears falling from his eyes as he held his blood-drenched shirt to her neck. Liam and Stacy's headless bodies laid nearby and their stomachs twisted when they noticed the red liquid all over Liam's face. They quickly put together what had happened and Castiel came back to his senses, closing the distance to Frankie and dropping to his knees beside him.

Lex felt like his world had stopped turning. Too much of Andy's blood was soaking the ground around her, and she was covered in the substance, as was Frankie. Her skin was ghostly white and her lips held a telltale twinge of blue.

"ANDY!" he screamed, his feet moving of their own accord to her and practically falling on the ground next to her as his eyes met Castiel's. "FIX HER!"

"Lex," Castiel started, his voice filled with remorse and grief. "Lex… she's already—"

"NO! DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING SAY IT! YOU'RE A FUCKING ANGEL!" Lex screamed. "HEAL HER GODDAMMIT!" He was vaguely aware of Justin kneeling beside him and wrapping an arm around his shoulders when his tears started to stream down his face. "Cas, please," he begged. "Just try."

"We've got nothing to lose. Just try, Cas," Frankie choked out with no attempt to hold back any of the devastation in his tone. He had watched the light leave Andy's eyes, watched them flutter close when she took her final breath and felt himself break as she did. 

However, what Frankie was too preoccupied to notice was that the special stone still nestled in his now blood-soaked pocket was starting to warm with Fae magic. Neither did any of them notice Alston appearing on the dock as Castiel laid his hand on Andy's forehead and started to push healing grace into her body. The fairy moved amongst them completely unseen and knelt beside Justin to whisper into his ear.

"You can help the angel," Alston said, his gray eyes twinkling. "You are a descendant of the Norse goddess of healing, Eir. You can feel her energy. Help the angel!"

Justin quickly turned his head, looking for the source of the words that had been whispered into his ear, but no one was there. He brought his gaze back to Castiel's hand on Andy's forehead, pushing healing grace that wasn't making a difference. He could feel something deep within him spark and his body moved on autopilot, reaching out and placing his hand over Castiel's.

Alston stood, smiling proudly when Justin lit up with healing energy that was combining with the angel's grace. It wouldn't be long now. The fairy turned, locking his eyes on the form of the azure blue-eyed woman staring at the scene before her in complete bewilderment.

"Hello, Alexandria," Alston said, putting as much comfort into his tone as possible.

Andy dragged her eyes from her lifeless body to the fairy now beside her. "Am… am I… dead?"

Alston tilted his head to the side and pursed his lips for a moment. "Yes and no. You are kind of in-between at the moment."

"Are you my reaper then?"

"Oh, my, no no no. My name is Alston" he said. "I'm a fairy and we need to talk." He held out his hand to her. "But we need to do it somewhere safe. That amulet in your friend's pocket will only deter the reapers for so long."

"Where is safe?"

"Take my hand and you will see." He could see the hesitation in her features as she looked back and forth between him and her friends, could feel her heart shattering when her gaze fell on Lex. "I promise I'll bring you back to him. There are things you need to know if you are going to end Ajal, Alexandria."

Her eyes shot back to the fairy. Everything she had ever heard of the Fae told her that they couldn't be trusted. However, there was something in Alston's eyes that told her he was being truthful. With a sharp nod, she slipped her hand into his.

* * *

_ Avalon _

Andy gasped, gazing out at the beauty before her. Alston had taken her to the middle of a vast, lush meadow with pops of color scattered over the dark green grass from astonishingly beautiful but most definitely unearthly wildflowers that glimmered like fine jewels. The air surrounding the human and the fairy was perfumed with a light sweet scent coming from the floral decorations. The woods surrounding them on three sides seemed to be alive, shimmering and swaying with the movement of a soft breeze blowing on their skin. However, the most breathtaking sight was far off in the distance in front of them: A huge crystal palace took up an expanse of land with rainbows reflecting off of its walls from the sun's rays as it stood proudly over a bustling kingdom.

"Are… are we…" Andy started, unable to drag her eyes from the castle.

"Yes," Alston confirmed, stepping before her and fanning his arms out to the sights ahead of them. "We are in Avalon, realm of the fairies." His arms settled to his sides and an expression of shock, with a hint of fear, settled over the human's face. "Not to worry, dear. You are under my protection here. No harm will come to you."

Andy was finally able to meet the fairy's gaze. "Why are we here?"

"I needed to speak with you where we wouldn't be interrupted."

"And I had to die for that?" Andy retorted.

"You are not exactly dead," Alston reminded her. "Just... in-between. But, no, you didn't necessarily need to be in this state for us to be here. I had no other choice with the paths that you and your friends chose."

"Did you know what was going to happen?"

Alston pursed his lips, calculating his response. "Our futures are not something that is set in stone. The choices we make in critical moments is what takes us down certain paths. With the way things had been set in motion, it was either going to be you or Franklin that ended up here with me. It is why when he and Arthur came to me for help that I gave Franklin a fairy protection stone. For the Fae, it works as soon as we put our magic into it. For humans, however, it requires the blood of the dying to activate."

"So, when Frankie's clothes got soaked with my blood the protection started."

"Precisely," Alston confirmed. "It also alerted me to your exact location. My magic within the amulet will hide you and your friends from your enemies for thirty Earth hours."

"Earth hours?"

"Time moves differently here than it does in your realm. It's kind of hard to explain, but when you return to your body, only a matter of seconds will have passed."

Andy opened her mouth to respond but was cut off when a heavy pressure settled into her chest. She gasped and her knees hit the ground. In the next instant, Alston was at her side guiding her to sit.

"What the hell was that?!" Andy exclaimed.

"That was Castiel and Justin's combined power starting to pull you back."

"Both of them?" Andy asked as the fairy took up a sitting position beside her.

"Yes. Castiel's grace has combined with the Norse magic that runs through Justin's veins. The human may not be able to use the magic at will, but it is still there. Of course, it helps that they are both also pulling from the Trickster God blood in Lex. Even if none of them realize it."

"So Lex really is a descendant of Loki, just like Justin with Eir?"

"And just like you with Forseti."

"What?!" Andy exclaimed, her voice strained.

"You, my dear, are descended from the Norse god of Justice, Forseti."

Andy stared wide-eyed at the grass, trying to comprehend the fairy’s words and what it meant for her, Lex, and Justin. "That's what Ajal meant when he said he needed three sacrifices from certain sets of bloodlines and that we found each other."

"It is," Alston said sadly.

"What is he trying to do?"

Alston sighed and Andy looked up to meet his gaze. "He's trying to unlock the power of the gods and instill it in himself so he can rule hell. The plans he has after that..." The fairy shuddered. "He must be stopped."

"How do we play into him doing that?"

"The spell he is planning on casting is old, powerful, and complicated. It requires a list of ingredients that would take a madman to try and collect. Unfortunately, Ajal is just that. He mistranslated the spell six years ago, causing him to get the most important component wrong, which resulted in your friend's death."

Andy bit back the emotion rising at the mention of Mandy. She had to focus. "And we're the right ingredients?"

Alston nodded gravely. "In order for the spell to execute properly, he needs the hearts of three souls derived from the lineage of the Norse gods that have spilled the blood of a child of Eve."

"Well, then that doesn't include Lex!" Andy said confidently. "He didn't even know about any of this shit until…" The sorrowful expression from the fairy had her words trailing away.

"Lex killed a vampire to save Dean," Alston told her. "And he has known about what is going on for a couple days now. Joshua pointed him in the direction of the Men of Letters archives and once Lex returned to him, he told him about you, the Winchesters, all of it."

Andy felt sick and the pressure in her chest increased. She somehow knew her time with Alston was about to be cut short. However, she still had questions. "Why didn't he say anything?"

"He was told to wait for you to come to him."

"Why did he even stick around for that?" she asked, silently cursing the tears welling in her eyes.

"I think you already know the answer to that," Alston said softly. "You just need to let yourself believe it."

Andy shook her head and scrubbed her hands down her face. She couldn't deal with that at the moment. "How do we stop Ajal?"

"Currently, an angel blade will still work to kill him and the witch's blade that Ajal used on you can be altered to take a demon's life. Rowena should be able to fix it. However, if he completes his spell and a demon gains the powers of the gods… I do not know what would kill him. So you have no other choice but to stop him."

Andy felt air forced out of her lungs and the pressure on her chest wrapped around her upper body. She could feel the sensation of a force attempting to pull her upwards.

"It appears we are out of time," Alston said, helping Andy to her feet.

"Thank you, Alston," Andy wheezed. It was getting harder and harder to breathe.

The fairy framed her face with his hands, smiling warmly at her. "I do have one more piece of advice before you go." All Andy could do was nod her agreement to his request. "There are many possibilities for how your future can play out right now. I recommend that, for once, you should choose your path with your heart instead of your head."

Alston continued to smile as Andy's body started to shimmer and fade away. When she was gone, his arms dropped to his sides and he gazed up at the vividly blue sky.

"I truly hope you heed my advice, my dear. He's going to need you."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Smut

_ Bentonville, Virginia _

Even with the added energy from Justin, it wasn't easy to bring Andy back from—as far as Castiel knew—the dead. Her heart had stopped, her lungs weren't working, and the amount of blood she had lost was gut-wrenching even for the angel. He had thought the attempt to heal her was futile. Yet, here he was, watching as her body started to glow with a combination of grace and what he pinpointed as Norse god magic. Then, as if set on some sort of fast-forward, the hole in Andy's neck from the vampire bite started to close, and the color returned to her body that had held the pale look of death. 

Just as the wound was close to looking like it had never existed at all, Castiel and Justin felt an immense pressure of energy forming between them, hovering over Andy's body. When her eyes snapped open and she harshly sucked in a breath of air, the energy erupted and sent a shockwave rippling outwards that threw everyone around her through the air and crashing to the ground a few feet away. There were yelps and grunts of surprise, but silence fell over the group when Andy pushed herself to a sitting position.

Lex's golden eyes were the first ones she met and she watched cautious hope give way to unfathomable relief. He was on his feet in an instant, closing the distance between them and dropping to his knees to pull her into his arms, crashing his lips to hers in the process. She leaned into his kiss, wrapping her arms around him in turn and clinging to him like her life depended on it. Their lips parted sooner than she would have liked, and he pressed his forehead to hers.

"I was so afraid I'd lost you," he said, his voice thick with tears. "Don't you  _ ever _ do something like that again!"

All she could do was nod and bury her face into his shoulder, wanting to stay in his arms as long as possible. The sound of the others crowding around them let her know that wasn't going to be anywhere near as long as she wanted. She peeked out over Lex's shoulder to meet Frankie's gaze as he knelt down next to Lex, and she reached out a hand that he readily took.

"You scared the fuck outta me, Andy," he said.

"I'm sorry," she said. Pulling back, but making sure to stay in Lex's arms, she positioned herself to look around. Seth was clearly the only thing keeping Justin on his feet, and Castiel looked pretty worse for wear as well. The Winchesters, who had obviously fought hard against the vamps, were alternating from keeping a lookout for another attack and shooting glances in her direction to make sure she really was OK. "Guys, you can stand down. We're safe for the next thirty hours."

* * *

After a brief explanation of the stone amulet in Frankie's pocket that was shielding them and a call to Rowena and Ketch to tell them to come to the cabin, Castiel healed the rest of their injuries. Once they had cleaned themselves up from the fight, the group set to moving the deceased vampires. Lex and Castiel helped Sam and Dean with moving the bodies in the front yard to the back, while Seth and Justin moved Ramone to the same place and cleaned up the best they could inside the house. Andy and Frankie took care of Liam and Stacy, wrapping them in sheets Seth had given them and placing them on the side of the house.

Despite what their former friends had done as vampires, Andy and Frankie knew they deserved a hunter's funeral. Bloodlust had twisted their minds and turned them into beings that were unrecognizable, but at one time they had been family that they would have died for. The guilt over what their friends had been through washed over Andy and Frankie as they completed the preparation, and they both did their best to hold back their emotions. A pyre would need to be built, but there were things that needed to be discussed before they could get lost in that task.

Before long, Rowena and Ketch arrived and everyone convened in the living room, gathering on the sectional with Castiel and Frankie perched on the coffee table. Together, they filled Ketch and Rowena in on what had transpired at the cabin while simultaneously telling Lex and Justin about running into Ajal. Lex also finally told everyone what he knew and how he knew it. Andy launched into the explanation of where she went while she had been between life and death, who she had spoken to, and what he had told her. 

Lex suddenly stood, moving around the others to pace in front of the fireplace, not caring that every set of eyes in the room were watching him. They all had a feeling of what was coming. He had been shockingly calm about everything that he had found out in the past few days, but discovering his lineage and what Ajal had planned appeared to be the tipping point.

"Ya know, I accepted that monsters were real," he started, a twinge of hysteria in his tone. "I dealt with the fact that two of my best friends, my girlfriend, and her friends are hunters. I'm even working through Rowena being an actual witch and Cas being a _friggin_ _angel_!" He cast his focus to the group. "But _this_?! I don't know if I can wrap my head around this! I'm a descendant of _Loki_?! _FUCKING LOKI_?!?! Oh! And let's not forget a damn demon wants to _literally_ cut my heart out and it eat it because of that!"

"Lex," Justin started cautiously. "I know this is a lot, man. Pretty much everyone here has had their world turned upside down because of this kind of stuff. You aren't alone."

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "Come what may, we all got your back."

Lex's only response was to sink down to sit on the stone hearth of the fireplace, and Andy felt her heart shatter even further than it already had.

"Guys, do you think you all could give Lex and me a minute?" she asked.

Dean sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "We have a little bit of protection right now and the witch's blade is in the trunk of the Impala, so we should probably dispose of the dead vamps before we do anything."

"And build a pyre for Liam and Stacy," Sam added.

Noticing the wince from Andy and Frankie, Rowena stood. "I can help with that," she said. "A bit of magic can take care of both of those and clean up the bloodstains on the wood. You're on your own with fixing the door, however."

"The door itself isn't busted," Justin said. "I have the stuff to get it in working condition again." 

"Perfect," Rowena said. "Ketch, I need you to go get my bag from the car and meet me around back. Seth, Justin, I need the two of you to show Castiel where he can get wood for the pyres and then get to the repairs. Sam, Dean, follow me. Frankie, you should probably call Gage and fill him in on what's going on."

She didn't wait for a response from the men and started to walk across the room and out the door, but they all left to do as she had requested, leaving Lex and Andy alone in the house.

Lex raised his head to look at her and she rose from the couch, making her way over to him. The moment she was close enough he reached out, grabbing her hand and pulling her to him to stand between his legs so he could lean his forehead against her stomach. Her fingers carded through his hair soothingly and his arms wound around her thighs, pulling her flush against him. He needed her touch to ground himself and she was more than happy to do that for him.

"Ya know," Andy started softly. "You're actually handling this better than you think.”

"Yeah, OK," Lex replied sarcastically.

"You are,” she assured him. "Did Joshua tell you that I punched Dean when they gave us the whole 'monsters are real' talk?" Lex shook his head and Andy continued, never ceasing the movements of her fingers through his hair. "It was after we dealt with the police and Mandy. None of us could stay at the resort, so Gage put us up in a hotel about an hour away. After a bottle of whiskey between Frankie and myself, Sam and Dean showed up to check on us. Somehow our drunk asses convinced them to tell us everything. Obviously, I needed a minute, so I went outside. Dean followed because, let's face it, I was way too drunk to be going anywhere by myself. He touched my arm to get my attention and I just swung around and slugged him in the jaw. The look on his face when his ass hit the ground was priceless!"

Andy felt the small chuckle Lex gave and silently blew out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," he whispered, letting his body relax to focus on the soothing feeling of her hands in his hair. After a few minutes, his hands moved to grip the backs of her thighs and tugged gently. She got the hint and maneuvered herself to sit on his lap facing him. "I'm sorry."

"Baby, no." Andy framed his face with her hands, looking into his eyes. "You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. This stuff isn't exactly the easiest thing to deal with. If anyone should be apologizing, it's me. I lied to you and I'm the reason you're even caught up in this bullshit. I wouldn't have blamed you if you had said to hell with all of us the second you found out what was going on. I honestly don't know why you didn't." Her hands dropped to clasp behind his neck as she spoke and he gripped her hips.

"First of all, leaving you isn't an option for me. You're stuck with me, babe. We'll get through this together. As for the rest, you were following orders, I get that, and none of this is your fault. It's that fucking demon's."

A small smile tugged at her mouth and she pressed her lips to his.

"What do we do now?" Lex asked when the kiss had ended.

"We figure out how to get to Ajal so we can end this," Andy said. "But we'll have to be somewhere safe to do that. Knowing Sam and Dean, they are already talking to Frankie about all of us heading to the bunker."

"The bunker?"

"Sam and Dean live in a Men of Letters chapter house in Kansas. Trust me, it's a better setup than it sounds. Your techie heart may explode when you see all the gadgets they have there."

"What about work, and Gage?" Lex asked. "I mean, I know that's pretty much the least of our worries here, but…"

"Gage will understand that we may need a little time off," Andy told him. "We'll figure it all out, Lex. After we finish taking care of things here, we'll have a more definite plan."

"How do you handle all this with such ease?" Lex inquired, in awe at how calm she was being with everything. "Justin, too. You both are in the same boat I am, and you’re both acting like it's nothing."

"It's not the first time something has wanted me dead, and I'm sure it's not Justin's either. It's kinda part of the job description, but it helps that it's just like Justin said: none of us are alone in this."

"I guess that does help a little bit."

"Andy!" Frankie said, rushing in through the door and crossing over to them holding Dean's cell phone. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Gage is kinda flipping out and wants to talk to you."

She sighed and held her hand out for the phone. "Oh, I'm so not looking forward to this conversation."

* * *

As Andy had thought, the conversation with Gage was not an easy or fun one. He was irate over the turn of events, yet still truly saddened over the fate of Liam and Stacy. Once the phone call had ended, Lex, Andy, and Frankie had joined the others to help them with the cleanup, repairs, and the finishing touches on the pyres that had been set up near the water's edge. With Ketch having acquired transportation for all of them and their vehicles through Alston the next morning, they were able to focus on putting their friends to rest while they had their brief moment of protection.

Night had fallen by the time the fires were dying down to embers. In order to give Andy and Frankie the space to say their final goodbyes to Liam and Stacy, the others had moved to the front porch. The two of them stared ahead, watching the smoke lift into the sky from where they sat side by side on the ground. The four of them had always known that attending the other’s funeral was an option, but it was something that they had never actually thought they would have to do. Especially not under these circumstances.

"Are you alright?" Frankie asked as Andy leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Not even a little bit," she said honestly. "I just wish we could have saved them somehow."

"Andy, you know there's nothing we could have done. Ramone made sure of that."

"I know. Still doesn't make it any easier."

Frankie sighed heavily and leaned his head to hers. "We'll get through this. All of it."

And deep down, she knew they would. They always did, one way or another. However, it didn't help with the gnawing guilt that had settled into her mind and was screaming at her that none of this would be happening if she had been the one to die that night instead of Mandy.

"Frankie, I'm—"

"Don't you dare say you're sorry!" Frankie cut in quickly. "I don't blame you for anything. Not Mandy, not Ajal, and not Liam and Stacy.  _ None _ of this is your fault."

Andy simply nodded. She knew there was no arguing with her friend. He was convinced of her innocence, and she honestly didn't have the energy in her to fight him on it. Her mask of strength and calm were wavering, and all she really wanted to do was be with Lex, but that was yet another cause of the guilt eating away at her. If she had never come crashing into this kind, sweet, and loving man's life, he wouldn't have a demon after him, and he certainly wouldn't have been attacked by vampires. She was the one who had put Lex and Justin on Ajal's radar, and she couldn't help but feel that they and Seth would be better off if she just left after the demon was done away with—if she didn't get them killed before then.

Frankie turned his head to place a kiss on the top of her head. "Maybe you should head on up to bed, Andy. I'll finish things up here and let Lex know where you are."

It took him a few more tries before he convinced her, but eventually Andy was letting Frankie help her to her feet. With a hug, he watched her make her way through the now fully repaired back door. As soon as she was inside, he hurried to the front of the house. He knew Andy better than anyone and could tell when she was barely holding it together. While it had been his place for years to be there when she was falling apart, he knew that this time it was someone else she needed.

* * *

Andy had had every intention of doing as Frankie suggested and going to bed, but when she caught a glimpse of the Winchesters, Frankie, and Castiel through the window in her and Lex's bedroom while they started to scoop Liam and Stacy's ashes into makeshift temporary urns, she couldn't stop herself from watching. Her stomach twisted and turned with tears welling in her eyes. They were really gone, and she truly believed she was at fault.

Ajal had targeted them because of her. Mandy had died when it should have been her. Lex and Justin's lives were in danger because Ajal followed her to them. It was all because of her! She felt the tears spill down her cheeks and heard the door to the room open and close. There was no need for her to turn around—she knew who had walked in. 

Lex quietly crossed over to her, and when he saw the tears flowing freely down her face he didn't hesitate to reach out and gently pull her into his arms. It was just a simple action, but the weight of the meaning behind it was enough to give Andy the final push to fall apart. She clung to him, sobs erupting from her lips and burying her face in the crook of his neck with her arms snaking around his middle. He held her tighter, telling her without words that he would be her shelter in the storm. When he felt her knees start to buckle, he didn't miss a beat in lifting her bridal style and carrying her to the bed they shared.

He laid her down, removing her shoes along with his own, then crawled into the bed to lay beside her, holding her to where she could tuck herself into him. As her body shook with her sobs, he whispered words of comfort while he carded his fingers through her hair and rubbed her back in soothing motions. Andy hadn't realized how bad she needed to let her walls down and just cry, and once it had started it was like she couldn't stop. Lex's resolve never faltered and he held on to her until her weeping had turned into sniffles.

"Feel any better?" Lex asked softly and kissed her on the top of her head.

"A little," she murmured. "Thank you."

"I'll always be here for you, babe. We'll get through this. We'll end this demon and then we can move on with our lives."

Andy felt the wind leave her lungs at his words. She knew that wasn't how it was going to happen because it never did. Reluctantly, she pulled out of his arms and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "It doesn't work like that, Lex."

"What do you mean?" he asked as he got up to sit beside her.

"There is no moving on with our lives." She stood, her arms wrapping around herself as she moved back towards the window. "There's always some monster that needs to be killed, always some big bad that needs to be taken down." She spun around to face him, her voice rising with her growing emotion. "Do you know how many times Sam and Dean have  _ literally _ stopped the world from ending?! It never ends, Lex, and once you're in it... getting out is nearly impossible!"

"Then we'll get through all of that, too," Lex said and rose to go to her, trying to take her in his arms.

"Lex, no!" She backed out of his reach, avoiding his eyes and touch. "You have a chance to live a normal life after this. I think… I know…" Her heart, if possible, shattered into even more pieces than it was already in at what she was about to say, and tears pricked at her eyes again. "It's better for you if.. .once Ajal is dead… Lex, we have to go our separate ways."

Lex felt the breath forcibly jerk from him as her words hit him like a punch to the gut. "Are you breaking up with me?!"

"Lex." She was crying again when she forced herself to look at him. "I don't want to. I would give anything to be able to have a life with you, but... I'm bad for you. Being with me is just going to get you hurt or… Lex, I couldn't live with myself if… You have to walk away from me!"

"Andy, no! I don't care if I have to fight heaven, hell, and whatever crazed monster that's out there with one hand tied behind my back. If I'm with you in the end, then that's all that matters!" He tried to reach out for her again, but she backed away. "Andy, I can't… no… I  _ won't _ walk away from you! Not now! Not  _ ever _ !"

"YOU HAVE TO, LEX!"

"NO!"

"WHY NOT!"

"Do you really not know?" He took a step towards her and this time she let him take her hands into his, raising them to his lips to kiss her knuckles. "I'm already in love with you, Andy."

Her eyes went round and words failed her for a moment. Had she heard him correctly? "You… you love me?"

A small smile crossed his lips, bringing his hand up to cradle the side of her face. "This isn't exactly how I envisioned telling you for the first time, but yes, Andy, I love you. You're it for me, baby, and I can't see my future without you in it."

Andy stared at him as his words sunk in, and she could have sworn she heard Alston's voice in the back of her mind telling her to choose her path with her heart instead of her head. "Lex!" she cried and surged forward, framing his face with her hands. "I love you, too! So very much!" she said and crushed her lips to his.

His hands fell to her waist, sliding around to the small of her back and pulling her flush against him. They kissed fiercely, pouring every bit of love and adoration they had for each other into the action, only ceasing when they had to come up for air.

Andy was still panting when she pressed her forehead to his and looked into his amber eyes. "Make love to me, Lex."

His mouth was molding against hers again in an instant as he walked her back towards the bed, both of them stripping each other from the waist up on the way. When his knees hit the back of the mattress, he quickly spun her around and eased her back to lay down while he kissed down the center of her body, using deft fingers to unfasten her jeans. He delighted in the sounds of pleasure humming from her and how needy those noises became when he placed a kiss to her tattoo on the inside of her hip. He started to tug down her pants and thong in one swoop, taking his mouth from her, standing to toss the clothing to the ground.

He took a moment to admire her bare and displayed just for him, a grin full of desire encompassing his features while he rid himself of his own jeans. Their gazes locked, his hands gripped her hips, and he pulled her ass flush with the edge of the bed. The combination of adoration, love, and need for him reflecting back from her nearly took his breath away. She was his, and he was hers. They were in this for the long haul now, and they both knew it. Come what may, they would face it together.

Lex dropped to his knees, spreading her legs wide and leaving a blazing trail up her inner thigh, kissing, licking and nipping his way to her sex.

"Lex!" Andy cried out wantonly, her fingers twisting into his hair as his tongue delved into her folds.

He took his time, exploring and lapping at the juices pouring out of her entrance, making sure to hit every spot he knew that elicited mewls and gasps of his name and made her body arch into his face. By the time his tongue expertly swirled around her clit, he had worked her into a gasping, keening frenzy, her ability to form coherent words lost as her legs trembled with her impending release. His lips latched around the tiny nexus of nerves, suckling and flicking his tongue against the bundle and working two fingers into her, curving them into a come hither motion to massage her g-spot with every thrust of his hand.

Her orgasm crashed into her fast and hard, and she tugged on his hair sharply, crying out in unhindered ecstasy, earning a growl of approval. His ministrations didn't cease, playing her body like an instrument, working her through her first orgasm and quickly working her to a second one just as, if not more, intense than the previous.

When she was gasping and jerking with oversensitivity, he pulled away and crawled up her body to capture her lips with his. The taste of herself still lingering on him had her arousal igniting into her blood once more.

"Lex!" she said breathlessly and started to work her body fully onto the mattress, pulling him with her. "Need you inside me!"

Like the two final pieces of a puzzle, slotting into place at last to reveal the complete picture that they had both been searching their whole lives for, he slid into her. They both cried out at the connection, his hands weaving into her hair as hers wound up his back to grasp at his shoulder blades. Her legs wrapped around his hips, their gazes locking when he started to move inside her. It wasn't their first time together, not by a long shot, but with their true feelings finally out in the open, everything suddenly felt new. The pleasure singing through their bodies as he thrust into her, her hips coming up to meet every snap of his, blazing with the intensity of the devotion and endearment pouring out through their actions. They held nothing back as they whispered "I love you" in-between open mouth kisses on lips and skin, and when their shared release erupted between them with shouts of the other’s name, they stayed locked in their embrace until their breathing slowly returned to normal.

"I told you I'd catch you," Lex said, rolling off of her onto his side and immediately pulling her back into his arms.

"And you did," she said, nuzzling her nose to his. "I love you, Lex."

"I love you, too, Andy."

* * *

During his career, Frankie had learned the four types of vehicles the government commonly used: There was the stakeout van, a large windowless van altered to accommodate the needs of the mission. Next, the undercover car, which was generally an inconspicuous dark-colored sedan that didn't stick out in a crowd. Following that was the chauffeured transport vehicle used to take higher-ups, diplomats, and other important officials back and forth between set destinations. Their size usually depended on how many passengers needed to be in one car, but every one sported bulletproof windows and other "top secret" security measures. Then, there was the one that Director Tom Gage drove up to the cabin in bright and early the next morning with Joshua in the passenger's seat.

The moment he saw the big, black "oh shit we're in trouble" SUV pulling in the gravel driveway through the kitchen, Frankie dashed up the stairs to retrieve Lex and Andy. He knew they were either about to receive some seriously bad news or Gage was going to completely rip them all new assholes. Or maybe even both. 

Alston chuckled to himself at Frankie's actions and took a sip of his mostly-cream coffee. He was standing along with the Winchesters and Castiel around the kitchen island while Seth and Justin finished up throwing together a quick breakfast for all of them. Everyone was acutely aware of why Frankie had made his sudden move to the second floor, including Ketch and Rowena who had both been pouring over one of her spellbooks on the sectional. Even if they didn't get it on the same level that the Army Major did, they certainly understood it well enough that Gage showing up announced wasn't a good sign at all. So when the amused noise came out of the fairy, all eyes turned to him.

"What's funny?" Dean asked 

"Poor boy should have knocked," Alston vaguely explained.

In the next instant, all attention was turned towards the staircase when they heard Andy and Frankie's brief shouted argument carry down the stairs.

"OH FUCK!!"

"SHUT THE DAMN DOOR, FRANKIE!!"

"LEARN TO USE A LOCK!!"

"LEARN TO FUCKING KNOCK!!"

The group heard the bedroom door slam, followed by Frankie's voice saying that Gage was there, and a few seconds later he walked back into the living room. He instantly noticed every set of eyes watching him and he simply rolled his own and walked across the room to wait by the front door for his boss to walk up.

Andy and Lex came down the stairs less than a minute later, Andy glaring at her long-time friend with her cheeks still holding a dusting of pink while Lex fought to contain his laughter as he finished fastening the buttons of his shirt. However, nothing was able to be said before a loud knock resounded through the room. Frankie took a deep breath and opened the door to a very angry looking Gage and a grim-faced Joshua.

"Tom! Joshua!" Frankie greeted with feigned excitement. "How are you?"

"Major Russo," Gage said with a curt nod, making Frankie wince at the use of his rank.

Yeah, they were in trouble.

Frankie stepped aside and the two older gentlemen entered. Joshua kept his eyes trained on the floor, making an obvious attempt to not look the two Majors and hacker in the eye. Gage, however, made eye contact with everyone in the room before he spoke.

"I need to ask everyone to vacate this room." Gage's voice was stern and intimidating as his gaze swept the room again. "Joshua and I need to speak with Major Stiles and Major Russo in private."

"Just the two of them?" Lex asked, confused as to why he hadn't been included.

"Yes, Lex, just the two of them," Gage said. The director grew annoyed when no one moved. "Now!"

Lex glanced at Andy and when she nodded at him he led everyone outside through the front door. Frankie moved to stand at Andy's side just as the door clicked closed and Gage rounded on both of them.

"Do the two of you have  _ any _ idea what I've been through the past twenty hours?!" he growled, swiftly closing the distance between himself and the two Majors. "I had to inform the President of what went on here yesterday and he is absolutely  _ irate _ !"

"With all due respect," Andy said, standing tall and squaring her shoulders. "Do you have any idea what  _ we've _ been through?! In case you forgot, we were attacked by a nest of vampires and had to have our friends' funerals!"

"That the two of you  _ KILLED _ !"

"They were fucking vampires!!!" Frankie exclaimed, placing a hand on Andy's shoulder to keep her from launching herself at the director. He could almost taste the rage suddenly rolling off of his friend. "What the hell were we supposed to do?! They were trying to kill  _ us _ ! Fuck! Liam almost  _ did _ kill Andy!"

"The fact remains that they are  _ dead _ !" Gage seethed. "What am I supposed to tell their families exactly?"

"Oh, you mean the parents that completely disowned Stacy ten years ago when she came out as a lesbian?" Andy said, jerking out of Frankie's hold and taking a step towards the director. "Or are you talking about the so-called mother that is too fucked up on meth to remember that Liam was even in the fucking Army?!"

"That's beside the point, Andy! There are protocols—"

"Fuck the goddamn protocol!" Andy shouted. "We threw that shit out the window six years ago and you know it! There are no guidelines for hunting monsters!"

"Andy—" Frankie tried to warn, doing his best to stay between the two.

"No!" Andy snapped, turning her head towards him for a moment before she focused back to Gage. "Every damn one of us in this room knew going into this fucked up situation that there were risks. Frankie and I are dealing with everything the best we can. We’re also trying to figure out what to do about the power-tripping psychotic demon that’s so laser-focused on us!”

"And a civilian and Lex as well," Gage reminded her. 

"Believe me, I know that, and I'll die before I let  _ anything  _ happen to either of them!"

"I don't doubt that," Gage said, sighing and scrubbing his hands down his face. Suddenly his features showed the exhaustion his ire had been hiding. "However, there's still the matter of why I'm here."

"There's more to you being here than just ripping us a new one?" Frankie asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Gage confirmed, looking between the two. "The President has decided he doesn't want the US government tied to any of this."

"Meaning what?" Andy asked.

"Meaning, that as of 0500 hours this morning, the two of you are hereby officially honorably discharged from the Army."

"WHAT?!" Andy and Frankie shouted in unison.

"That's not how that process works, Tom!" Frankie exclaimed.

"That's how it's working this time!" Gage informed him. "The two of you have no idea how hard I had to fight for it not to be something much worse!"

"So, basically what you're telling us is that we're on our own here," Andy said matter of factly.

"I'm sorry you two, I am," Gage said earnestly. "But my hands are tied. You have thirty days to collect your belongings from the apartment in Langley."

"Well isn't that a tremendous help!" Andy barked sarcastically. "What about Lex?"

"I was able to keep him out of it," Gage told her. "No heat will come his way from this." As Andy and Frankie fell silent, the director turned to Joshua. "We should be going."

"If I could," Joshua started. "I would at least like to say goodbye to them."

"Just remember your place, Joshua," Gage warned and then made his way out the front door.

The moment the door closed, Joshua started talking quickly. "Andy there is more to this than we are supposed to tell you."

"What do you mean, Joshua?" she asked.

"Your brother and Miss Lowell never made it home from the airport Friday night. The government suspects some terrorist cell is responsible and have agents searching for them, but Gage and I both have a feeling it's more nefarious than that."

Andy felt her stomach drop to the floor and had to reach out to grab Frankie's arm to keep her knees from buckling. "You think Ajal has them."

Joshua nodded sadly. "And if that's the case, the two of you and your friends are the only ones that can save them."

* * *

_ 41,000 feet over Kentucky  _

The news of Andy and Frankie’s discharge from the Army along with Terri and Stiles’ abduction had been like a bomb going off to the group. The overall reaction had been a mix of anger, confusion, and a sense of urgency that had sent them reeling to figure out their next move. Everyone had their own ideas of what needed to happen, but the one thing that they all agreed on was that they needed to get to the bunker. So with barely any decisions made, they gathered their belongings and set off to the private runway to use Alston’s jet. 

It held enough seats for twelve passengers in three sets of four chairs laid out along the left side of the spacious cabin. Each cluster had a pair of plush cream-colored chairs facing an identical pair with a finished oak table mounted in the middle. On the right side was a fully stocked bar, a small kitchenette, the door used to board and unboard, and a countertop table mounted to the wall. In the back of the plane there was a slim wooden door that matched the tables between the chairs that led to a small bathroom, and at the front was a similar but larger door that led to the cockpit.

Justin and Castiel had sat up in the first set of seats with Rowena. The three of them had their noses glued into different spellbooks since the plane had taken off, gathering tracking spells for the witch to cast the moment they arrived at the bunker and had access to the multitude of ingredients needed to be able to track a demon. The Winchesters, Seth, and Ketch were in the middle batch of seats with their cell phones to their ears. Each of them were reaching out to every single contact they could think of, sending them pictures of Terri and Stiles that Lex had provided them with in order to put out a proverbial APB on the two. Toward the back of the cabin in the final bundle of chairs, Frankie, Andy, and Lex had their laptops open in front of them on the table. 

"I'm sorry," Frankie said, peering over his computer at Lex sitting across from him with a look of shocked confusion. "You're going to what?!"

"Hack into the CIA database and see if they've found anything useful," Lex said, not looking up from his screen as his fingers flew over the keyboard.

Andy stared at her boyfriend with the same look on her face as Frankie. "Lex, you can't hack the CIA!"

"Actually, I can."

"Just because you can doesn't mean you should!" Frankie exclaimed. "They have layers upon layers of encrypted security measures programmed to alert them the second someone tries that shit and we've got enough to deal with without having them coming after our asses!"

"First of all," Lex started, still not averting his eyes from his task. "I set up more than half of that security and what isn't mine I still know like the back of my hand. Kinda part of my job. I know how to get in undetected. Secondly, we're running out of options. You two aren't having much luck scouring for any signs of demonic activity, we're running out of people to call, and we all know that those spells they are making grocery lists for up there probably aren't going to do us much good either, because, let's face it, if this fucker has been able to hide his movements from a fairy that can in some sense see the future, then I'm guessing he's done whatever he has to do to repel a witch. And that's a lot of words I never thought I would use in the same breath."

"Still, wouldn't it be just a tad bit safer to get into Terri and Aiden's computers or the security footage at the airport?" Andy asked.

"Tried," Lex said. "Both of their computers are offline and the CIA has already confiscated the footage."

"Lex—" Andy started

"This is how I help, Andy," Lex said, pausing his actions for a moment to look at her. "This son of a bitch has already been responsible for three people's deaths that were very important to you, he's gunning for you, Justin, and me, and now he's taken two of the most important people in my life. If it's the last thing I do, this bastard is gonna pay. But to do that we have to find him. This is how I help do that. You  _ know _ I know what I'm doing here. Trust me."

Andy could see the conviction in the hacker's eyes, could feel the sense of determined urgency combined with his anger toward the demon wreaking havoc in their lives. "OK," she told him.

Frankie looked back and forth between them for a second before he stood, realizing there was no talking the hacker out of his intended course. "Just don't get the F-16s sicced on us, alright Jack Marshall?"

Lex turned to the man, a small smile on his face from the comic book reference. "You got it."

"I'm going to see what Rowena has found," Frankie said and then walked away towards the witch.

Lex focused his attention back to his screen to continue his invasion of the CIA. He grumbled to himself as his fingers quickly tapped the keys, mildly annoyed with himself for making the coded encryptions and firewalls so complex. Not that he had any problems getting through them, but the amount of steps and time it took to accomplish his goal was frustrating. As a loading bar popped up on his screen, the hacker smiled victoriously. He was almost in. However, his smile faded when he heard Andy's low disgruntled growl beside him. His head turned in her direction to find her clicking through weather patterns on her computer, and judging from the look on her face, she wasn't finding what she was looking for.

"We're gonna get them back, Andy," he said softly, reaching out to take one of her hands in his.

She sighed as she leaned back in her seat. "I should have known. I should have done more to protect them. Aiden is a descendant, too. I should have—"

"Hey," he brought her hand up to his lips to kiss her knuckles. "You thought you were keeping them safe by keeping them out of this and I know Stiles hasn't been taking down monsters in his free time."

She smiled at his attempt to ease her mind and she turned to look at him. "I just wish we had more to go on. I feel like we're trying to drive blindfolded. Alston can't even get a read on them."

"That does not mean any of us are going to stop trying."

The sudden sound of the fairy's voice as he appeared in the seat across from Andy had the couple jumping in surprise.

"Dammit, Alston!" Andy exclaimed. "Don't do that!"

"My apologies, my dear," the fairy said with a sly smile.

"Were you able to find anything…  _ in between realms _ ?" Lex asked.

"You killed a vampire and learned that you are descended from the trickster god Loki yesterday and you are having a problem accepting that I can travel between realms?" Alston asked with amusement in his voice.

"I'm working on it."

"Fair enough," Alston chuckled. "But, no, unfortunately it seems Ajal has used some very powerful magic to hide them."

"Yeah, we've got bupkis, too," Dean said, plopping down in the chair next to the fairy while Sam and Frankie stood at the head of the table. "We've got people on the lookout from the Carolinas to California, though."

Andy sighed, raking a hand through her hair. "Anyone got any bright ideas on what to do while we wait on Lex to hack into the CIA?"

Dean's mouth dropped open and Sam leaned over to peer at Lex's computer screen. "Holy shit you're almost in!" Sam said in awe upon seeing the half-loaded status bar.

"And we're just OK with this?" Dean asked incredulously.

"You got any better ideas?" Lex asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I guess not," Dean said. "It's a shame we can't use all those government resources you guys had."

"Dean!" Sam scolded as he stood straight.

"There are a few  _ perks _ to not having to abide by those pesky rules and orders Mr. Gage had put in place, I suppose. Maybe even a few  _ unsavory _ allies you weren't allowed to keep?" Alston mused, stroking his chin with his index finger and looking back and forth between Andy and Frankie.

Andy pursed her lips, her head cocking to the side, the wheels in her mind beginning to turn.

"Andy?" Frankie asked. He knew the look starting to creep into his friend's expression. He became increasingly worried when he saw the mischievous smile spread across her lips as she met his gaze. "I have a feeling I'm gonna regret asking this, but what idea is forming in that head of yours?"

"I think it may be time to give Max and his family a call," Andy said.

This time, Sam and Frankie joined Dean in his jaw damn near hitting the floor of the jet. Lex's brow scrunched in curiosity as he took in the men's expressions and turned to his girlfriend.

"Who's Max?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: smut, light bondage

_ Lander, Wyoming _

Only two weeks ago, Lex would've never entertained the possibility of the monsters he'd seen in movies or read about in books or fought in video games being real. Now, however, there were shapeshifters and a demon who wanted to cut his heart out. He had killed a vampire, and he was growing friendships with a witch, an angel, and a fairy. 

Talk about broadening your horizons.

Yet, as he sat with Dean at a table inside the motel room they had rented in a small Wyoming town helping him change out the current lead-based ammunition in a few of the pistols from the Impala's trunk to silver bullets, he couldn't help but replay the last few hours over in his head and wonder if they were making the smartest decision.

Andy had explained to Lex that she and Frankie, along with the Winchesters, Liam, and Stacy, had met Max, the leader of a werewolf pack, when they were hunting another pack of werewolves trying to infiltrate Langley Air Force Base about three years ago. While the director had been extremely thankful for the pack's help, he had ultimately decided that keeping in contact with them was not a good idea. So, Andy and her team had been ordered to cut ties. 

When the argument broke out with the Winchesters and Frankie insisting that they didn't think it was a good idea, she reminded them that the pack had been living off of animal hearts for decades. and if it wasn't for Max and his family none of them would have survived the attack from the other werewolves. The four had gone back and forth on the matter for a while, but Andy had eventually convinced them that contacting Max was their best option.

So Andy made the call.

After talking with the pack leader and setting up a meeting with him, they informed the rest of their group of what was going on. That's when the idea to "divide and conquer" had been brought up. Together, but much to Lex's reluctance, they had decided to split into two teams. One would go to the bunker to continue with tracking down Ajal and the other would head to Wyoming to see Max. The matter of who would go where had turned into a heated debate over where Lex would be when he had refused to separate from Andy. But in the end, when the private jet landed at a private airport near Lebanon, Kansas, the hacker stayed on board with his girlfriend, her best friend, Alston, and the Winchesters.

They had flown another two hours to a small mountain town where the fairy had dropped them off and arranged transportation for the hunters and the hacker to a motel where he promised Dean his precious Impala would be waiting for him. He had also reminded them that the protection from his amulet would expire at six that evening and that they would need to be warded before that happened. Then Alston had left them to their own devices.

As Dean finished loading his Colt with the ivory handle and engraving along the barrel, he watched Lex return the unused ammunition back into the Army grade ammo crate between them and secure the latch. He had to admit that he was pretty impressed with how Lex had been handling things. Even now he was clearly beyond uncomfortable in his current situation and the hacker was still managing to keep his cool. Mostly.

"How you doing?" Dean asked, placing his gun next to the four others they had changed the bullets in.

"Just peachy, Dean," Lex snarked, turning his attention to the man across from him.

"I'm serious, Lex."

Lex scoffed and picked up Andy's Beretta to examine the weapon with his eyes in an attempt to keep himself busy. "What does it matter to you, Dean? You don't even like me being around."

Dean sighed as he rested his forearms on the surface of the table with his hands clasped together. "I know I haven't been the most welcoming—"

"You threw me up against a vending machine the first time we met."

"Yeah… I'm sorry about that," Dean said with a hint of embarrassment. "I thought you were someone else."

"Who?"

"Cas' brother, Gabriel."

Lex's brow furrowed as his mind put the pieces together. Castiel was an angel, which meant his brother was one, too. But, the only angel he could think of named Gabriel was…"THE ARCHANGEL?! I thought I looked like Loki?!"

"Well… you do… but Gabriel pretended to be Loki for a long time and he blew his cover in order to help us and it all blew up in his face. Then, he ended up dying to save us." Lex could see the guilt that Dean was trying to mask in his vivid green eyes. "That's a story for another day, though. I really am sorry for the way I've been towards you. I was worried about you and Andy being involved for obvious reasons, and if I'm being completely honest, I may have been a little jealous. But, you proved me wrong."

"Why, because I tackled a vampire?"

"No," Dean told him. "Because when push came to shove, you showed that you had our backs no matter how insane the situation was and you've never once wavered in standing by Andy. This life isn't something easy to get your head around and you've done your best to roll with the punches. But, it's OK if you’re having some issues. You just have to talk to one of us about it. None of us are the most emotionally available people in the world, but we'll help you any way we can."

Lex considered the elder Winchester's words for a moment before he spoke. "We're getting ready to basically go _hangout_ _with_ _werewolves_. Who we supposedly trust." He held the gun up. "Yet, we're packing guns filled with silver bullets. Call me crazy, but that doesn't scream trust to me. That sounds like we are expecting to be attacked."

"Lex, the hardest part about this job is that none of it's black and white. Just because someone is what we call a monster doesn't mean they actually are one. We've met vampires and werewolves that refuse to take human life. Hell, we had the king of Hell die in order to keep Lucifer out of our world, and one of our closest friends is a werewolf. His name is Garth and he's one of the most good-hearted people you'll ever meet. I'll introduce you sometime. But that doesn't mean we walk in without being prepared. Anything can go wrong at any time."

"So, is that why it was a selling point that this pack has only eaten animal hearts for decades?" Lex asked, placing the gun back on the table.

Dean nodded his confirmation. "And they did save our asses when they could have let us become puppy chow."

"You, Sam, and Frankie acted like you didn't trust them at all, though."

"It was simply because it's been so long since we've had any contact with them. A lot can change in three years. I mean, look how much has changed for you the past few days."

Lex sighed as he leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together behind his head. "And I thought trying to figure out which humans were bat shit crazy was hard."

"Oh make no mistake, Lex. Humans can be just as evil, if not more so, than the things we deal with. What you do is just as important."

Their conversation was brought to an end when the motel room door opened and Andy walked in with Frankie and Sam following her. The younger Winchester had two white paper bags filled with take-out food that he sat on a clear section of the table and Andy handed two small burlap bags cinched together with twine inscribed with a red 'X' along with a few other symbols to Lex and Dean.

"What's this?" Lex asked, examining the bag closely.

"It's a hex bag," Andy told him. "This specific one hides you from demons."

"I thought the symbols on my bracelet did that?" Lex mused.

"It does; this is just added security," she said.

Lex nodded as she took a seat in the chair beside him and placed the hex bag in his pocket.

"When do we meet Max?" Dean asked, pulling a wrapped burger from one of the paper bags.

"He actually just called," Frankie said. "He's gonna let us into his pool hall before it opens so we can talk freely. So eat up. We gotta head out as soon as we're done."

"The werewolf owns a pool hall?" Lex asked in amazement. 

"Gotta keep a roof," Frankie quipped. "His sons own a motorcycle repair shop in town too."

"Speaking of roofs," Sam said, glancing at his brother who gave him a quick nod. "What do you two plan on doing about one? I assume you'll be staying in the states now."

Lex perked up at the conversation as Frankie and Andy shared a look before she turned to Sam. "Yeah, we don't plan on leaving the country. Other than that, we really haven't talked about it."

"Well," Dean said. "You guys know you always have a place at the bunker with us."

"Or you could stay in Langley," Lex offered without a second thought and looked at Andy. "Maybe with me?"

"Really?" she asked with a growing smile.

"If you want," he said. "Seth and Justin make it work. We could figure it out."

Frankie couldn't help but grin, looking back and forth between the couple. "Well, I guess we know where Andy's staying."

Lex turned to him. "I have two bedrooms. The offer is for both of you."

"Thanks, Lex." Frankie turned to the Winchesters. "You guys, too. But we'll figure out where the best place is for all of us once we get this whole mess cleared up." He moved to pick up his Glock 27 from the table and put it in the back waistband of his jeans. "Now eat up, guys. We got werewolves to meet."

* * *

Alston hadn't made any detours driving back to where he'd left his jet. The location was a private runway owned by a friend, and he had plenty of time before his pilot returned. His sparkling gray eyes swept the tarmac as he leisurely strolled toward his aircraft. It had cost him almost ten grand to ensure the only plane on the runway that day would be his and another five thousand to make sure the six employees that kept the place running had a paid day off. It would be well worth the money in the end, however, it really didn't hold much meaning to the fairy anyway. Currency just made things easier in the human world and after a few centuries of living in it, he had accumulated a lot.

The fairy paused at the metal staircase that was still at the door of the jet and turned towards the empty runway. He crossed his arms over his chest and a grunt of annoyance escaped him.

"Are we really going to play this game?" he asked. "I felt your presence the moment I got out of my car."

Ajal suddenly appeared before him, a sinister grin painting his lips. "Then straight to business, I guess. Where are they, fairy?"

"I haven't the slightest idea what you’re talking about,  _ demon _ ."

"Don't play dumb with me," Ajal said, starting to circle the fairy. A hint of agitation flitted through his expression and his eyes turned black when Alston didn't react to the demon stalking around him like a hungry lion ready to pounce. "I felt your magic all over that cabin in Virginia once I broke through the warding."

Alston chuckled as Ajal came around to face him again. "They're going to beat you."

"You can't predict that! I've hidden my choices from you!"

"Ajal, I don't need to see your future to know you are going to fail," Alston said. "You really shouldn't have taken her brother and his girlfriend."

The demon scoffed. "Do they even know why you are helping them?"

"It hasn't come up, but that piece of information isn't really important yet. Now, I'm growing bored of this conversation. Hand over the humans and I'll pretend you didn't bother me today."

Ajal smirked, his own arms crossing over his chest. "Big talk from a fairy low on energy."

Alston simply raised an inquisitive brow.

"You've used quite a bit of energy hiding them from me and searching for Alexandria's brother. I imagine it takes you longer to charge in this realm."

"I had a feeling this would be the scenario," Alston said, his hands dropping to his sides. He turned to look at his jet. "I have been wanting a bigger plane—one of the big ones that have a bedroom in them. I tested one out last year. The beds are actually quite comfortable. Of course, there is also the choice of a cinema room that has seats that lay down into beds." He turned to an utterly confused looking Ajal. "What do you think?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?!"

"You are going to try and banish me, right?"

Surprise joined the addled look on Ajal's face. "How did you…?"

"See, the thing about that banishing spell is it  _ has _ to be recited word for word with correct annunciation, and that takes time." Alston turned his body back to face his jet. He raised his hands open-palmed towards the aircraft as fire ignited from his shoulders, quickly climbing upwards all the way to his fingertips. "Time you don't have."

"You wouldn't!" Ajal challenged.

"Why wouldn't I? It won't kill me and it won't, unfortunately, kill you. But, you have to admit, it is one hell of a distraction."

Ajal didn't have time to react before fireballs erupted from Alston's hands and headed straight for his jet.

* * *

Sirens screamed from fire engines, police cruisers, and ambulances as the emergency vehicles raced down the road next to the pool hall. The hunters and the hacker paused after exiting the Impala to watch the speeding convoy pass by.

"Damn, I wonder what happened," Dean mused and the group started walking towards the one-story, red brick building.

"Town this small, I'm sure we'll hear something soon," Frankie said.

As they got closer to the building, Lex caught the name of the pool hall written across the glass door in bright yellow block lettering. " _ Full Moon Billiards _ ?" he asked incredulously. "Isn't that a little… _ bold _ ?"

"Maybe a little," Sam chuckled.

"Max can be very… blunt," Andy said, knocking on the glass door.

A few seconds later a woman with bright pink hair pulled up into a bun came trotting up to the glass. Her pale green eyes lit up and a smile took over her features when she saw the hunters on the other side. As soon as the lock was undone she threw the door open and launched herself at Andy, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"ANDY!!" she squealed. "It's so good to see you again!" She pulled away and turned to Frankie, hugging him and talking fast. "Pops said you were coming and I was just so happy to hear it!" She hugged Sam and Dean without a pause in her speech. "It's been way too long since we've seen each other. We should all get a drink or dinner or something while you're in town. I know a ton of great places! It would be such a blast! I'll make Tommy and Spence tag along, too. Oh my God! They are gonna flip when they see you. I'll call them and tell them—" Her words abruptly cut off and her smile fell away when her eyes landed on Lex standing next to Andy. "Who are you?"

Lex stared at the energy ball of a woman for a brief second before he spoke. "I'm Lex."

"He's with us, Gina," Andy informed her, edging herself closer to Lex and slipping her hand into his, lacing their fingers together. "You can trust him. You have my word."

A bright smile took over Gina's face and she clasped her hands together underneath her chin. "Awe! Andy has a boyfriend! You guys look so cute together!" She turned and started walking into the pool hall. "Well come on in you guys. Pops is in his office doing payroll."

"Who is she?" Lex whispered to Andy as they all started following Gina through the rows of pool tables.

"Max's daughter, and his second in command of the pack."

Lex just nodded. Gina stopped in front of a closed door in the back of the room and knocked. "Hey Pops!" she called. "They're here!"

They heard a deep, gruff voice on the other side of the door grant their entrance and Gina opened the door, standing aside to let them go in. Lex's eyes went round again at seeing the giant of a man sitting behind a small desk. His muscles underneath his black leather jacket and white t-shirt rivaled Frankie's in size and even sitting down the hacker could tell he was at least a few inches taller than Sam. He peered up at them with light green eyes as they crowded into his office through a mane of shaggy raven hair.

Max grinned at them and stood from his desk to walk over in order to shake the Winchester’s and Frankie's hands. He then pulled Andy into a tight bear hug that tugged her hand from Lex's and lifted her feet off the ground for a few seconds. His large smile never left as he sat the woman down and turned towards the hacker.

"You must be Lex," Max said, sticking out his hand to him. "Andy told me about you when we spoke after you guys landed. I'm Max Heathrow. Pleased to meet ya!"

"Likewise," Lex said and shook his offered hand.

"So," Max said, moving to sit on his desk. "I've gathered enough to know this isn't a social call. Though my nephew just opened a little pizza joint in town. You guys should really check it out before you leave."

"A pizza place?" Lex asked in awe before he could stop himself.

Max laughed boisterously. "Oh yeah! We got our paws in all sorts of places in this town. My boys run the bike shop, my brother is the sheriff, sister's got a flower shop, and my other nephew owns the jewelry store. And, damn! That boy makes some of the most beautiful rings I've ever seen in my life."

"How many are there of you?" Lex asked, his curiosity taking over. "No one knows that you all are werewolves? Being so involved seems kinda risky to me. What do you do during the full moon?"

"Lex!" Andy hissed, lightly nudging him in the ribs with her elbow.

Max chuckled again and braced his hands on the desk. "Don't stop him, Andy! I respect someone that has the balls to ask questions. There's quite a few of us and we are born werewolves. We can blend in easier because we have more control over the wolf side of us."

"That's all very interesting," Dean cut in before Lex could respond. "But we have more important things to talk about right now."

"Dean's right," Max said. "So, who wants to start?"

Over the next half hour, the hunters and the hacker explained their current situation and how they got there. Max listened intently, not interrupting as the five of them went into detail about descendants of gods, Ajal, Alston, Andy and Frankie's discharge from the army, and finally Stiles and Terri. When they were done, Max sat, still in his same position on his desk, regarding each of them with interest before he spoke, his eyes falling on Lex when he did.

"Did you say you hacked into the CIA and  _ didn't _ get caught?" the werewolf asked, amazement clear in his tone.

"Yes," Lex confirmed. "The only thing we found out is when we think they disappeared."

"And that was?"

"There is surveillance footage of them going into the parking garage at 10:06 Friday night. Then the video goes static and when it clears up at 10:08 they're gone. I'm still going through the footage, but as far as I can tell there isn't a trace of them anywhere after that," Lex explained.

"Are you positive this Ajal is the one that took them?"

"Neither Alston or Cas can get a read on them," Dean said. "Either they've magically learned how to shield themselves against angels and fairies, or they’re with something that does."

"Ajal is the only one that makes sense," Andy said.

"I agree," Max said. "What I don't understand is if he's had them since Friday night, why hasn't he made any demands? It's Sunday evening."

"We think it's because he needed Lex to kill a vampire," Sam said. "He needed things to happen in a certain order. But now that we are under Alston's protection, at least for the next two hours, he can't find us to make the demands."

"Or he's got a plan that we haven't seen yet," Frankie added. "Either way, we're trying to get a jump on finding them before he throws another horde of monsters at us."

"I know this is a lot to ask, Max," Andy said. "But we could really use your help finding my brother and his girl."

Max sighed, bringing up a hand up to rub the back of his neck. "I'll talk to my boys. Tommy and Spence are the best trackers I have in the pack. If anyone can find them, it's them." His hand dropped back to the desk. "They'll need to get whatever scent they can get from you all, though. All of you but Lex have been in close proximity with Ajal. They should be able to pick up something. Once I get this place open for the night we can head to my place and I'll have them—"

The corded phone on his desk rang shrilly, cutting him off. He quickly apologized then picked up the receiver to put it to his ear.

"This is Max." The wolf paused while the person on the other line spoke, his face becoming increasingly grim. "Was anyone hurt?" He fell silent again for a few seconds and then his eyes flicked up to the other occupants of his office. "Yeah, they're still here… I'll tell them and I'll be there in just a few."

The others suddenly felt pits in their stomachs as they watched the werewolf hang up the phone and turn back to them.

"Have any of you spoken to Alston since he dropped you at your motel?"

"No," Andy said. "Why?"

Max sighed heavily. "That was my brother, the sheriff. Alston's jet exploded on the runway."

* * *

_ Lebanon, Kansas _

Justin huffed with agitation as he forcefully closed the old, tattered spellbook in front of him on the table in the bunker's library. He glared ahead at the concrete wall, wishing they could find something, _anything_, that would at least point them in the right direction. Why was _nothing_ _working_?! What the hell were they missing? 

A pair of warm hands on his shoulders attempting to massage out some of the tension he was holding suddenly jerked him from his thoughts. He looked up and smiled warmly at Seth. "Thanks, sweetheart."

"You know I got you," Seth said and moved to sit in the chair next to him.

Justin folded his arms on the tabletop and looked down the table to see Rowena adding a powdered substance into a stone bowl in front of her. Her end of the table was covered in open books and loose sheets of old looking paper, along with small glass jars and vials of different components for the spells she had been casting. The frustration on her face was clear after she recited a few words in Latin and nothing happened.

"Bloody hell, this demon is really starting to piss me off!" she remarked, angrily flipping through one of the books beside her. 

"Do you think we might be going about this the wrong way?" Justin heard Seth ask when he lowered his face to rest in his arms.

"Of course we are!" Rowena snapped. "This would be so much easier if we knew what  _ kind  _ of magic Ajal was using."

"Is there any way—" 

Seth's voice fell away suddenly and Justin jerked his head up to see why. His face twisted in confusion when he looked at his boyfriend, his body seemingly frozen in the middle of speaking. The hunter turned his eyes to the witch and she, too, had stopped moving entirely in the middle of her actions. The pages she had been turning with her fingers were even suspended in time just before the pieces of paper landed.

"What the fuck?!" Justin exclaimed, jumping up from his chair. "Seth!" His call was urgent as he waved his hand in front of the man's face and received no reaction.

"You’re asleep."

Justin whirled around to face the table where the voice had come from, grabbing his gun from the back of his pants and taking aim. The hunter relaxed his attack stance and stowed his firearm when he found Alston sitting on the table in a lotus position.

"What the hell, Alston?!" he exclaimed. "We have cell phones for a reason!"

"My apologies. It is rather hard to get Earth cell reception in Avalon."

"Why are you in Avalon? How are you in my head?"

Alston sighed and jumped down from the table. "Ajal found me in Wyoming and attempted to banish me. I had to take extreme measures to stop him and it depleted my energy. I had to return to Avalon to recharge. I'm in your head because I still have a direct connection to you while you are under my protection—but that won't last long. With me being low on energy, that protective bubble is going to expire sooner than expected, and we need to talk before that happens."

Justin watched Alston walk over to peer down at the book Rowena was reading. "Talk about what?"

The fairy looked up at him with sad eyes. "I have not been completely transparent about why I am helping you. I had hoped it wasn't the path I feared, however, after my altercation with Ajal I simply can't deny it anymore."

Justin felt dread raining down on him. "Alston, what haven't you told us?"

"The banishing spell Ajal planned to use on me is very old and hasn't been seen since Azazel started trying to raise Lucifer. It's from a dark fae spellbook."

"He's using fairy magic?! No wonder we couldn't break through his blocks!"

"There is more," Alston said, moving around Rowena to sit on the side of the table. "This book was stolen by the twin of an Earth-bound fairy and he came to his brother to help him hide the book. Rumors were circulating that Azazel wanted the book because he had heard of a spell that would give him untold power if he could find three descendants from the blood of Norse Gods. The brothers hid the book for decades, hopping between realms and undiscovered parts of Earth. Then one day two men went against the path that had been set for them and stopped the apocalypse."

Justin could see tears forming in the fairy's eyes as he continued his story.

"The fae brothers were so very happy that the humans were going to be able to continue their journey and they celebrated with all of their hearts. Celebrations, I'm disappointed to say, that caused them to be lax in their security of the dark fae magic they were hiding. When the demon Crowley became the king of hell, many other demons were not happy. Ajal was one of the more ambitious and had been close with Azazel. He found the brothers one night. A battle ensued that left one brother lost to the energy waves of the Earth. The other was gravely wounded and the book was lost. But the demon was able to pull the spell of power out before the book vanished."

"Alston…" Justin started quietly. "You were one of those brothers, weren't you?"

The fairy lifted his shirt to reveal a large scar taking up most of his torso. "I tried searching for the lost book," he continued, letting his shirt fall back into place. "However, I was so weak that none of my powers were working in this realm. I was forced to return to Avalon to heal and by the time I returned, Ajal had already been locked away in hell. I have searched for years for the book. I had thought it truly lost or destroyed. That is, until this afternoon when Ajal asked me if all of you knew why I was helping, and for the briefest of moments, I saw the power coursing through him. He had it all along, but he just didn't know how to use it until Asmodeus freed him and told him."

"Alston…" Justin was at a loss for words. He knew he should be fighting mad at the fairy for keeping something so huge from them, but the pain and anguish in the being's face were causing tears to well in his own eyes. He had tried so hard to fix his mistakes, to make up for the pain his choices had caused. 

"I hope you can forgive me," Alston said softly. 

"We've all made mistakes that had bad consequences," Justin told him. "They don't define us though. What matters is what you do to fix them. OK, yeah, you should have told us this from the beginning. But we can still fix this. Just tell me what needs to be done."

"You need to get to the others and tell them what I've told you," Alston said. "I see the wolves being of some help if you can get there in time."

"That's over a ten-hour drive, Alston! Why can't I just call them!"

"Your call won't get through," the fairy said as he stood. "Ajal was somehow able to track me without me knowing until he was on me. He knows they are there, he just doesn't know where. He's used the magic in the book to block your communication."

"So what, I just jump in the car and hope I get there before this bastard attacks?!"

Alston paused, his lips forming into a thin line as he thought of their options, his eyes focused on the stone floor. Then it came to him. The fairy peered up at the hunter, whose expression was quickly turning from urgent to worried when he saw the mischievous grin forming on the fairy’s lips.

"I may have an idea," Alston said, his gray eyes twinkling. "You're not afraid of heights are you?"

* * *

_ Lander, Wyoming _

"This is complete  _ bullshit _ !" Andy grumbled, pacing back and forth in front of the two beds in the motel room. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest and ire burned in her eyes.

Lex shifted his eyes up to her from where he was sitting behind his laptop at the small table in the room. When the call had come in to Max about Alston's jet, the hunters, hacker, and werewolf all agreed that they needed to get to the site as quickly as possible. The only issue: no one but Andy thought it was a good idea for her and Lex to go with them, a suggestion that had launched an argument of epic proportions. In the end, Max had called his sons, Tommy and Spence, to escort Lex and Andy back to their motel room. The two young wolves had been instructed to stick around to protect them in case Ajal had been the reason behind the aircraft's explosion, but with Andy still mad enough to spit fire, the brothers had wished Lex luck and chosen to stand guard at their car parked right outside the door of the room. 

"Babe," Lex started cautiously, knowing that he was handling the equivalent of a live bomb. "They are just trying to protect us."

She abruptly halted her steps and leveled a venomous glare in his direction. Apparently that was the wrong thing to say.

Lex paused the airport security footage he was continuing to go through and stood to cross the room to her.

"Babe—" 

"Lex, they could be walking into a trap!" she exclaimed. "Alston could be hurt! I can't just sit here and do nothing!"

"I think keeping yourself out of the hands of the demon that wants to cut your heart out and eat it is doing a lot actually."

"You know what I mean! A little risk is worth ending this bastard!"

"Not to me, it isn't! Especially when it comes to you!" Lex snapped. Her blatant disregard for her own safety had sparked his own anger running through him. "Twice now I've seen you covered in your own blood and dying! One of those times was because you purposely dangled yourself in front of two hungry vampires! I understand that there is risk involved with what you do, but your choices don't just affect you any more!" 

His ire started to ebb as he watched his words hit home in her eyes and he reached out to pull her to him, winding his arms around her and pressing their foreheads together. "I'm not asking you to change or to even apologize, Andy. I love you for exactly who you are. I'm just asking that you be a little more careful and consider your actions before you make them. I don't want to lose you."

Andy nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him softly. "I can do that. And I love you, too."

"Thank you," he said, nuzzling his nose to hers. "Ya know." His lips started to move down her jawline. "There  _ are _ some pretty effective and enjoyable ways for us to distract ourselves while we wait on the guys to get back."

She giggled, tilting her head to one side as he nipped his way down to her neck. "You're insatiable!"

"Only for you, my love," he said, his hands slipping under her shirt to caress the soft skin of her back. His lips curved upwards against the skin of her neck at the soft moans starting to fall from her when his touch skimmed up her side to trace the underside of her breasts. "It just feels  _ so good _ to have your tight pussy wrapped perfectly around my hard cock.”

She whimpered and pressed her body against his, heat pooling between her legs at his words alone.

"I have a  _ suggestion _ if you're game," he said, his voice taking on the huskiness of his arousal, and it sent shockwaves through her whole body.

She pulled her head back enough to look at him, curiosity mingling with her desire. "What's that?"

"How do you feel about restraints?"

"For me or for you?"

Lex's head quirked to the side, seriously considering both options. "Both, but this time, for you."

"I've never tried it before," she said, an alluring grin curving her lips. "I'd really like to try it with you, though."

He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and then moved to grab his duffle bag that had been placed near the table. He set it on the surface, digging through it for a moment and then pulling out his dark blue silk tie. "Wanna use a safe word or the stoplight method?" 

"Stoplight method?"

"Basically you say a color for how you're doing with what's going on. Green is all good, yellow is slow down, and red is everything stops right then and there."

"That works."

"Good," Lex said, a seductive grin taking over his features and he crossed back over to her. "Now strip."

Her expression matched his and he watched as she slowly started to make a show of removing her clothing piece by piece, taking off his own shirt as well. When the last article of her clothing was gone, he was pulling her to him, hands skimming up and down her arms while kissing her lips. His fingers gripped her hips and he started walking her towards the bed. He broke their kiss and took her hands into one of his and carefully tied his tie around her wrists.

"Color?" he asked, his eyes flicking up to meet hers.

"Green."

"Lay down," he instructed, grinning again. "Hands above your head and keep them there."

She did as she was told, arousal thrumming through her and pooling between her legs at the way he watched her, amber turning to molten gold that burned with his desire.

"You're so beautiful," he said crawling over her, resting his knees between her legs and kissing his way up her stomach, through the valley between her breasts, and up to the pulse point of her neck.

Soft moans and whimpers fell from her lips, fighting to keep her hands in place. His mouth was on hers again, but only for a moment before he made his way back down to her breast with a combination of lips, tongue, and teeth that sent electricity through her system and had her squirming beneath him.

"Lex!" she keened, her voice a strangled whimper when his tongue circled her nipple at an agonizingly slow rate.

His hands stayed planted to the bed on either side of her, using just his mouth to tease the ample swell of each of her breasts. Finally, he took one of her nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue and sucking on the pebbled peak. She shouted his name again and he switched to pay the other the same attention before kissing back down her torso.

A whimper of protest came from her when he moved away from her and got off the bed to stand at the foot. He chuckled softly and reached to grip her hips and pull her down until her ass was flush with the edge of the bed.

"Color?" he asked again.

"Green!" she panted, locking her gaze with his. "Lex, please!"

The lust-filled look in his eyes and the predatory smile on his face had the walls of her sex clenching around nothing, increasing her need for him tenfold.

His hands gripped her thighs and spread her legs wide, his fingers tracing their way to her mound where he slowly pushed one inside, groaning at the amount of her slick coating his digit.

"So wet for me already," he purred, inserting a second finger and starting to pump them. 

"OH, FUCK! LEX!" Andy moaned loudly, her hips bucking on his hand on their own accord.

His thumb circled her clit, pulling more shouts of his name and then he pulled away.

"Lex! Please, don't stop!" she begged, the sentence ending in a whimper.

"I'm gonna take care of you, baby," he promised, his hands moving to the button of his jeans, not missing how her eyes followed his every move when he popped the fastener and slid the zipper down. "Just be patient."

He rid himself of the rest of his clothing and grasped his cock in his hand, pumping the shaft as he admired her laid out for him. "Tell me what you want, Andy."

The tone in his voice sent a shiver down her spine and a rush of wetness from her sex. "Fuck me, Lex! Hard and fast!"

He walked closer to her and slid the tip of his cock through her folds, coating it in her juices and then trailing it up to circle her clit until she was writhing against his ministrations and begging him to be inside her.

Finally, he set himself at her entrance and pushed inside. A strangled cry of his name fell from her lips and her walls immediately spasmed around him in an orgasm she wasn't expecting. He fucked her slowly through it, letting her ride out her release.

When he was sure she was close to done he pulled out, leaving only the tip inside of her and then slammed back in.

"FUCK! OH FUCK, YES! JUST LIKE THAT LEX!"

He repeated the move again and again, earning more moans and shouts until he set a brutal pace and had to grip her legs with his hands to place them over his shoulders so he could hold her in place. The speed and force never wavered, filling the room with their combined sounds of ecstasy. Lex could feel her walls start to flutter around him again, and his balls started to tighten with his own impending release.

"You gonna cum again for me, beautiful!" he asked, angling his hips to make sure he was hitting that sweet spot inside of her with every snap of his hips. "Cum on my cock, Andy! Wanna feel you!"

His words were all she needed to hurtle over that edge she had been clinging to and her orgasm hit her hard enough to make her whole body tremble, his name tumbling from her lips over and over again.

The feel of her sex clenching him like a vice and the sound of his name rolling so erotically off her tongue had him joining her, his cock pistoning into her and spilling rope after rope of his white-hot cum deep inside her. His hips didn’t stop moving until they both entered the realm of oversensitivity.

He carefully pulled out of her and reached up to untie her wrists before he collapsed on the bed next to her, pulling her to him to press their lips together.

A few minutes later, after moving to lay underneath the blankets, Andy rested her head on Lex's chest with her arm draped over his stomach while his wrapped around her back with his fingertips trailing up and down her side.

"I love you," she said, tightening her hold on him.

"I love you, too." He placed a kiss on the top of her head. 

"Can I ask you something?" she said, maneuvering her head so she could look up at him. Something had been on her mind since earlier that day when they had a conversation with the Winchesters and Frankie.

"Of course, babe."

She nervously chewed her bottom lip, choosing her words. "Are you sure about Frankie and me moving in with you?"

"Andy," he started reassuringly. "I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't sure. Why? Are you having second thoughts?"

"No! Absolutely not! I want a home and a life with you. I want it more than I've ever wanted anything. It's just… I want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into."

Lex chuckled softly as his hand came up to stroke her cheek with his knuckles. "I think I have a pretty clear idea of what I'm signing up for, babe. I know what you do and I know it's not going to stop even after all this is over. We'll figure out how to make it work."

"What about the financial aspect of it?" she asked. "The way we were discharged, even if it was honorably, we have no guarantees that we are going to get any of our benefits. We could quite possibly be shit outta luck and broke. I don't want to be a burden to you."

"You won't be. I've got that covered until we get that settled."

"Lex, I know you make good money, but you're still taking on two people that more than likely won't have any income. Well, not legal income anyway. There are ways—"

"Honey," Lex said, gently cutting her off. "The CIA isn't my only source of income. I had a dot-com company with a buddy of mine years ago. The money I got when we sold it and the cut of the profits I still receive annually make it to where I don't have to worry about that." 

"What if the CIA doesn't approve of us being there? You have to report who’s living with you."

"Technically, I only have to report it to my direct supervisor, which is Joshua. It won't be an issue. Now, do you want to tell me what's really on your mind?"

Andy sighed and rested her head back on his chest. She had a feeling he would see through her questions. "All this happened so fast, Lex. I mean, I wouldn't change being with you for anything. I know I'll never love anyone the way I love you. I just don't want you to wake up one day and realize I wasn't worth the trouble… I don't want you to regret me."

"Andy, baby, look at me," he said, tucking two fingers beneath her chin and guiding her gaze to him. "I will _never_ regret anything about us. You are worth absolutely everything to me. I have _never _felt the way I feel about you for anyone. You're stuck with me until you decide you don't want me."

"That'll never happen."

"Then I think we're in agreement," he said and kissed her softly. "So, do you want to move in with me?"

"I really do," she said and molded her lips to his once more. "You make me want things I never thought I'd be able to have."

"Like what?" he asked with a grin.

She pursed her lips, debating on whether or not to tell him what had been teasing at her thoughts.

"Please tell me," he encouraged.

"I want everything with you, Lex," she started. "A home, building a life together, marriage, babies, growing old together. All of it!"

"You want a marriage and babies with me?" he asked, his smile turning giddy.

"That doesn't freak you out?"

"Are you kidding?" he asked with a chuckle. "I want every bit of that with you, too."

"It's not gonna be easy."

"If there's one thing I've learned, the best things in life are worth fighting for, and I'll do whatever it takes to get to have all of that with you."

She beamed at him and moved to slip her arms around his neck and mold her lips to his again. "I love you so much!"

"I love you, too!"

The two of them stayed tangled together as long as they could, sharing long kisses and lingering caresses, but they both knew their time was running out before their friends would return.

"I hate to say this," Lex said reluctantly. "But we should probably get dressed. We don't know when the guys will be back."

Andy gave a disgruntled agreement and they both begrudgingly untangled themselves from each other to put on their discarded clothing. No sooner had they finished, Lex's computer began ringing with an odd tune that had him turning his head towards the device.

"What the hell?" he mumbled, crossing the room to the table with Andy following him. He turned the laptop around where he could see the screen and his brow creased with suspicion. "It's a video call."

"From who?" Andy asked.

"I don't know. I've never seen this user name. It's just a bunch of random numbers and letters. Hell, I haven't even heard of this video call app, and that's saying something."

"Only one way to find out then."

Lex nodded his agreement and moved his cursor over to accept the call. It took a few seconds for the foreign application to load. However, when it did, both the hacker and the hunter gasped at the man sitting on the other side of the screen. He was sitting in a mostly darkened room, the only source of light coming from a small lantern beside him that illuminated his facial features and nothing else. Though he appeared to not have any type of bindings on his body, the poor man's face was bloodied, bruised, and swollen, but there was no mistaking the former Marine looking back at them.

"Oh my God!" Andy exclaimed, her voice coming out as a choked sob. 

"Hey, sis," Stiles said, forcing a pained smile onto his lips. "I got away."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none (I know, it surprised me, too!)

_ Lander, Wyoming _

Chaos.

It was the only word that could truly describe the scene on the runway at the private airport where Alston's jet had landed. Flames still blanketed the aircraft, the bright oranges and reds licking up its sides and curving towards the top, producing a heat that pushed the EMTs and police back while firefighters attempted to tame the blaze that seemed to not want to die.

The Winchesters and Frankie watched anxiously from near the control tower while Max pushed his way to his brother to find out what he knew. Patience had never been plentiful in any of the three hunters, so as they watched the werewolf pack leader question the sheriff from afar, they nervously fidgeted and aimlessly walked around the Impala. While they waited it occurred to the former Army major that the phone he had picked up on their way out of Virginia hadn't rung since the group parted at the pool hall. He curiously pulled the device out from his pocket and clicked on the screen, surprised when he saw that it had no missed calls. He knew his best friend better than that, and as mad as she was, Andy would have called him a few times by now. 

He should probably check on her and Lex. His brow creased with confusion when he noticed he had no reception. How could that be? He had called Rowena himself from the very airport they were standing in now when they landed earlier.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked when he noticed his friend's expression.

"I was gonna check on Lex and Andy, but I don't have any service."

"Here," Sam said and he pulled out his phone from his own pocket. "Use mine." He clicked on the screen to unlock the device and quickly discovered he didn't have reception either. "That's weird, I haven't had any problems since we've been here."

Dean had been standing close listening to the exchange and pulled his own cell out to check. "Mine's out, too."

Sam stowed his device and looked around the area. "Do you think the explosion messed with the cell towers…?" His eyes came back to his brother and Frankie. "Or do we have a demonic problem?"

"I have a feeling it's the latter," Max said, joining the trio. "All communication services are out. My brother said ever since he made the call to me he hasn't been able to get another out, and trying to reach dispatch brings nothing but static. It's the same with the EMTs and the fire department. I can't even get an email to send from my phone to Gina."

"Awesome," Dean said sarcastically. "Was he able to tell you anything useful?"

"He said the pilot—I think he said his name was Calvin—showed up to the scene at the same time he did," Max informed them. "He confirmed that Alston was in fact here. He called Calvin to let him know he was waiting on him, but to take his time and that he was in no rush. They haven't found a body, but they can't really check inside the jet at the moment. I really don't think they will, though. Fairies are pretty hard to kill and fire isn't one of the few ways to do it."

"Any signs of demons?" Frankie asked.

"There was sulfur found on Alston's car," Max said. "I dare say Ajal is close. It looks like he went after Alston when he couldn't find any of you. How much longer does that fairy shield got?"

"Until six," Sam said.

"So we got an hour," Max said, releasing a breath.

Frankie absentmindedly stuck his hand in his pocket, his fingers caressing the completely smooth stone. He froze, eyes wide, breath caught in his throat. Why was it smooth? It had symbols carved all around it before. He had  _ seen _ them! He ran his fingertips over it again several more times. He jerked the stone from his pocket, pulling the attention of the Winchesters and the wolf.

"What is it, Frankie?" Max asked.

"The stone, amulet, whatever the hell it is," Frankie said, staring down at his hand. "The symbols are gone!"

"Son of a bitch!" Dean grumbled, pulling his car keys from his pocket. "That's gotta be a bad sign. We need to get back to Lex and Andy."

* * *

Lex couldn't believe what he was seeing. Stiles was on his screen, and while he was beaten and bloody, he was alive and seemingly coherent.

"Stiles," Lex started, pausing briefly to sort through the overflow of questions in his head. "Are you OK?"

"Not gonna lie, Lex," Stiles said with a chuckle that obviously caused him pain. "I've been better. I think the three of us need to work on our communication skills, cos you guys have been keeping some pretty big secrets."

"Aiden," Andy said, fighting the tremble in her voice. "I'm sorry. I never meant for you and Terri—"

"It's OK, Andy," Stiles assured her. "Trust me, I get why you didn't want me to know about this stuff."

The sound of a key in the door to the motel room jerked Lex and Andy's attention. An instant later, the Winchesters, Frankie, and Max came flooding through the doorway, but instantly stopped when they saw the look the couple was giving them.

"What's—" Frankie started.

He stopped his words when Andy held up a hand indicating for him to be quiet. The other three caught on quickly and Max quietly shut the door. The quartet moved together to stand behind the table, out of view of the screen.

"Who is that?!" Stiles asked, his tone now anxious and uncertain.

"It's alright, Aiden," Andy said as she and Lex focused on him. "Our friends that were helping us find you are here."

"Oh, thank God," Stiles breathed. "I was so worried you two were alone on this. This bastard is ruthless, Andy! I watched him kill one of his lackeys because they couldn't find you."

"We've got ourselves under control," Lex said slowly. Something in Stiles’ voice was eating at the back of his mind. It was something strange he just couldn't quite put his finger on. "Stiles… how did you get away?"

"The one in charge," Stiles started. "He found something and he left to check it out and the other...  _ demons  _ that were watching us started fighting amongst themselves and weren't paying attention. I took the opportunity, grabbed Terri, and ran. But… they caught up to us and we got separated. Before I knew it, they had Terri. I didn't know what to do! I've never dealt with demons! So I... I ran. You guys gotta help me save her."

He left Terri? Lex  _ knew _ that didn't sound right. It didn't matter what the man was up against, there was no way in _ hell _ he was leaving Terri, even if he had to face demons by himself.

"Where are you?" Lex asked.

Stiles looked around at his darkened surroundings. "I'm at what looks like an old car parts factory in Lander, Wyoming. That's all I know right now. I'm sorry, my head was such a mess, I just ran. I'm not even sure how I got here."

Lex and Andy snapped their eyes up to Max who gave one quick nod to confirm he knew where the man was.

"We'll be there as soon as we can, Aiden," Andy promised.

Stiles nodded solemnly and then focused solely on Lex. "Ya know it's crazy the shit that comes into your mind when you think you're about to die. I kept thinking about that time we were in the airport after the Carston incident talking about how Luthor cured cancer and almost killed Superman. You remember that conversation, Lex?"

Stiles' question sent the neurons in Lex's brain firing rapidly. A memory quickly assaulted his mind in vivid detail from years back, when Stiles was still the new guy at CIA headquarters. He and Lex had yet to become friends, yet it was during that moment when their friendship emerged.

_ Lex and Stiles walked through the crowded airport, both exhausted, tension still tight in their shoulders, and hunger eating at their bellies. _

_ But they were alive. _

_ Together, they had just successfully averted a catastrophe. Their plane was hijacked by a pilot whose wife had left him, and his ability to fly had been stripped away because he was on depression medication. The man had been hell-bent on flying their plane straight into a resort in the Bahamas where his wife was shacked up with her new boyfriend. Thankfully, Stiles had been able to talk the man out of the barred cockpit seconds before Lex's makeshift bomb blew its door open. _

_ Now here they were, both looking like they had been through hell while they carted their own luggage through the terminal. _

_ "Could you have gotten us down without help from Carston?" Lex asked, his curiosity finally getting the better of him. "You learned to fly a Cessna when you were fourteen." _

_ "Uh… I made that up," Stiles admitted. "At fourteen I barely drove a car." _

_ "Oh…" _

_ "But I could have gotten us down!" Stiles insisted. _

_ "Yeah, me too." The inflection in the hacker's voice dripped with sarcasm. _

_ "We mighta made it. Remember that plane that managed to land with a hole in its roof?" _

_ "Aloha flight 243," Lex answered before Stiles had even gotten out the last word of his question. _

_ "Had first class, coach, and patio seating. Of course, a few people were sucked into the engine—" _

_ "I don't  _ ** _ever_ ** _ wanna talk about this  _ ** _again_ ** _ ." _

_ "Fair enough," Stiles said with a chuckle. _

_ The two continued their path through the crowd, both of them just wanting to go home. There had been silence between them for a while when something came out of Stiles' mouth that took Lex completely off guard. _

_ "So, comic books," the former Marine-turned-undercover CIA operative said. _

_ Lex turned his head towards the man, an eyebrow arched in curious confusion. "What about 'em?" _

_ "You're into them. I saw them in your bag when you got searched by TSA." _

_ "Yeah…" Lex replied slowly. _

_ Stiles rolled his eyes at the hacker's apparent suspicion. "Chill, Lex. I'm just trying to get to know you," he assured him. "If we're going to be friends, I should know something about you other than your addiction to technology." _

_ "We're friends?" _

_ "I figure we kinda have to be after what we just went through." _

_ Lex regarded him as he pondered the man's words. He didn't consider many people his actual friends. Hell, the ones he  _ ** _did_ ** _ have, aside from Terri, didn't even know what he really did for a living. As it was, his two best friends in the world, Seth and Justin, currently thought he was attending a meeting in San Francisco at the corporate office of the greeting card company they thought he worked for. Having another friend he didn't have to lie to might not be such a bad thing. "Yeah, I like comic books," he finally said. _

_ "That's cool," Stiles said, again taking the hacker by surprise. However, this time he smiled. "I used to read them." _

_ "Really?!" Lex exclaimed. The admission was entirely unexpected. _

_ "Yeah," Stiles confirmed. "After joining the Marines, life just got too hectic to keep up with anything. When we were kids, my sister and I spent a couple summers with our uncle, and his collection, to this day, is insane. Sometimes at night when we were at his house, we would sneak into the room where he kept them to read the old ones he wouldn't let us touch." _

_ "That's awesome! What's your favorite?" _

_ Stiles' face turned thoughtful as he remembered the comics he read in his youth, a smile eventually forming on his lips. "There was this Superman one from the late thirties. Luthor tricks Superman into trusting him when he cures cancer." _

_ "Oh! I've read that one! Superman number 149! Luthor ends up convincing Superman to come to his lab, traps him, and pumps him full of so much kryptonite he legit dies! Ya know, Superman really should have paid attention to the clues that were right in front of his face." _

_ Stiles laughed loudly. "It almost sounds like you're siding with Luthor." _

_ Lex arched an eyebrow and gestured to himself, a smirk settling on his lips. "Lex… Lex Luthor… come on, man! How could I not?"  _

_ "I see your point, and you  _ ** _are_ ** _ probably smart enough to defeat Superman," Stiles admitted. "Which, ironically, is exactly what that storyline proved of Luthor. I know, it was like one of those out of continuity imaginary tales, but it showed that Luthor really was smart enough to take down Superman if he truly put his mind to it. Of course, it helps, like you said, that Superman didn't pay attention to the clues that were right in front of his face." _

Lex was plummeted harshly back into the here and now as his memory ended and he met Stiles' knowing gaze. "I remember that conversation word for word," Lex told him.

Stiles nodded, apparently finding what he needed in Lex's eyes and words. "Sometimes you just don't wanna be like Superman."

"We're coming to help you," Lex promised. "I'll figure this out."

"If anyone is smart enough to do it, it's you. I'll see you soon. Please, be careful," Stiles said, never breaking his eye contact with the hacker as the call came to an end.

"Aiden!" Andy shouted and immediately started trying to reconnect the call.

"Andy, baby," Lex started comfortingly, placing his hands on her shoulders and trying to gently pull her away from the computer. "You're not gonna be able to get another call through."

Andy removed her hands from the keyboard and placed them on either side of the laptop, hanging her head.

"It's a big red flag that that one even got through to begin with," Max said. "All communication systems appear to be down all over town."

"What?!" Andy questioned, her head popping back up.

"Check your phones," Sam said.

Andy quickly moved from the computer, Lex quickly taking her place and clicking around on the still open video call program. She picked up their phones from the nightstand in between the two beds and turned them both on, her eyes shooting towards the hunters and the werewolf when she discovered that they indeed had no service.

"Then we have to go!" Andy said urgently. "Obviously that bastard still has them!" She started moving back towards the table to grab her gun.

"Andy!" Frankie said, stepping in her path. "This is a trap!"

"I DON'T CARE!" Andy shouted.

"We have to be smart about this," Dean said. "We don't even know if anything your brother said is true or if it was even him!"

"And how do you propose we do that, Dean?!" Andy growled.

"I'm working on that," Lex chimed in, not looking up from his screen as he continued clicking and typing. "Stiles left me a message somewhere."

"How do you know that?" Sam asked while the hunters started to crowd around to watch what the hacker was doing.

"Everything he said was…  _ off _ ," Lex said. "The way he moved, the tone in his voice. I've been with Stiles through some pretty fucked up and stressful situations. I know his mannerisms and those weren't them. Demons or not, he's not going to act like he's scared even if he's terrified. Not to mention, he  _ wouldn't _ leave Terri. Even if it killed him, he would have gone back for her. Of course, there was the blatant red flag at the end."

"Which was?" Andy asked, now standing beside him.

"The Superman comment," Lex replied. "When we first became friends, we got to talking about comic books and he told me about his favorite one from when he was a kid."

"Superman number 149," Andy said. "The one where Lex Luthor tricks Superman by curing cancer and ends up getting him to his lab where he actually kills him with kryptonite."

Lex's head swiveled around to her, his eyes blinking and wide. "Wow, I think I just fell even more in love with you." He had to force himself to look back at his screen, bringing his mind back to where it needed to be. "But, yeah, we talked about the comic and we both agreed that if Superman had noticed the clues, he would have seen what was right in front of his face. Just like…" He made a few more clicks using the touchpad. "This! It's the freakin username he used. I thought it was just a bunch of random letters and numbers at first, but it's not."

The others focused on where the cursor was hovering over the username, each of them reading the line.

_ neon6otce4trax5fata34485rpic-elot _

"Uh, Lex," Dean said. "Gonna need you to elaborate."

"It's a type of transposition cipher," Lex said, pushing his laptop aside and grabbing a pad of paper and pen that had been on the table. "It's a method of encryption where the positions held by units of plaintext are shifted according to a regular system so that the ciphertext constitutes a permutation of the plaintext. This particular one I came up with when we were on a mission in Bolivia." 

The hunters and the werewolf watched intently while he wrote the code out on the notepad and began deciphering, explaining as he went. 

"Each set of letters are put into their own column," Lex explained. "The first number indicates how many of those columns you should have and the second number tells you how many  _ rows _ of letters you should have. The third number shows you how many words are in the message and the set of numbers at the end correspond to how many letters are in each word."

Lex's hand moved quickly over the paper as he wrote down the jumbled letters into their correct positions. He moved his hand out of the way when he was done to show the others what he had written.

** _n o t f r e _ **

** _e t r a p l _ **

** _o c a t i o _ **

** _n e x a c t_ **

"From there," Lex continued. "It's just a matter of actually reading the message. You start at the first letter of the first row counting the letters in each word specified by that final set of numbers." He put his pen back to the paper and began writing again. "Which makes this…" He took a step back to reveal Stiles' message.

_ **not free trap location exact** _

"There ya go," Lex said. "All the confirmation we need."

The hacker was taken by surprise when he felt Andy's lips on his cheek and he turned to her. "Thank you," she said. "I'm sorry I lost my head and almost broke my promise."

Lex smiled and slipped his hand into hers, squeezing it in reassurance. "It's OK, babe." Together the two faced the other men in the room. "So, what's our next move?"

The cluster they had formed in front of Lex's laptop slowly started to disperse as they all played out their options in their heads. Andy and Lex placed themselves on the foot of one of the beds while Frankie and Max claimed the one next to it and the Winchesters sat in the chairs at the table.

"Should we get Tommy and Spence?" Andy asked, suddenly remembering the two young werewolves outside their door.

"I sent them back to the pool hall to fill Gina in on the communication issue and what we found at the airport," Max said.

“What did you find there?” Lex asked.

“No sign of Alston,” Frankie replied. “But the pilot confirmed he was there and that there was sulfur on his car.”

“Sulfur is a sign that there was a demonic presence,” Dean offered when he saw the question forming in Lex’s expression.

“Do you think Alston is OK?” Andy asked.

“We think he’s alive,” Sam said. “As to where he is or if he’s hurt, we have no idea. I’d like to think he’s resourceful enough to have gotten away. But we think the protection he placed on all of us has expired. The amulet he gave Frankie is completely blank now.”

“Hence the no communication thing except for what he wanted to get through,” Lex said.

“Exactly,” Max agreed.

“So, that brings us right back to what our next move is,” Andy said.

“We can’t just go in guns blazing,” Frankie said. “Ajal has set a trap for us, so I’m guessing Terri and Stiles are gonna be right in the middle of things and we can’t risk hurting them. It would be helpful if we knew what Row and the rest of them have come up with.”

“And if we had the witch’s blade,” Sam added. “Rowena was still working on altering it to kill Ajal when we dropped them off in Lebanon.”

“We have angel blades and our demon knife,” Dean reminded him. “We’ll work with that.”

“I have a few things at my disposal that may help as well,” Max offered.

“Like what?” Lex asked.

Max’s response was interrupted when a loud bang, followed by a painful groan, came from behind the closed bathroom door, sending everyone to their feet and grabbing for a gun. They all took aim as Max and Dean took the lead, heading towards the door. Max glanced back at the elder Winchester when his hand landed on the doorknob. With a nod, the werewolf flung the door open and every mouth in the room hit the ground.

On the beige tile of the bathroom floor, slowly getting to his feet, was Justin.

“Justin!” Lex exclaimed. He and Andy pushed through to get to him, kneeling to wrap their arms around his waist so they could help him to his feet. “What the hell, man?!” he asked as he and Andy walked him out of the bathroom.

“Alston—” Justin started but was abruptly interrupted by a splash of holy water in the face that Max threw at him from a metal flask he kept in the inside pocket of his leather jacket. Justin spit out the liquid that had gotten in his mouth and glowered at the wolf. “Not a demon. Who the hell are you?”

“Justin this is Max,” Andy said. “Max, Justin.”

The two nodded at each other before Justin began speaking again, still holding on to Lex and Andy for support. “Alston sent me to you guys.”

“So, he’s OK?” Frankie asked.

“He’s alive,” Justin confirmed, letting his friends lead him to a chair at the table so he could sit. “He said he had to take extreme measures to get away from Ajal and it depleted his energy to next to nothing. He had to return to Avalon to recharge.”

“Well, that explains the exploding jet,” Max said.

Justin stared in disbelief for a moment before he shook his head, deciding there were more important things to discuss at the moment and continued. “There are some things he didn’t tell us when he first started helping us.” Justin launched into an explanation, giving them an abridged version of how Alston had come to him in a dream, the story the fairy had told him, and the conversation between them that followed. 

His eyes swept the faces in the room, taking in the looks of uncertainty and distrust settling into their features. “Guys, he didn’t do it to be misleading. He wasn’t sure about his suspicions until Ajal tried to banish him. He really has been doing the best he can to help us fix the mistakes he made. Something I’m sure every one of us can understand. He wants to stop Ajal as bad as we all do.” 

“How did he send you here if he’s stuck in Avalon?” Lex inquired as Justin’s words finally started to resonate with everyone.

Justin cringed, thinking about how he had arrived crashing into the bathroom of the motel room. “Apparently there are portals that fairies can use to return to Avalon if they are low on energy and can’t get there by their own magic. They are all over the place, but they are invisible and in locations that are extremely hard for humans to get to. Well, there just so happens to be one about forty-five minutes from the bunker at the top of a thirty-foot Sycamore tree. I had to climb the bitch and jump through it. Alston somehow rerouted the destination of that specific portal and had it drop me here. It wasn’t a pleasant ride.”

“Obviously,” Frankie commented, referring to Justin’s disheveled state and watching him slump in the chair. 

“So, what’s going on here?” Justin asked, ready to take the topic off of himself. He listened intently while the others told them of their current situation and he sighed, scrubbing his hands down his face when they were done. “So, basically, Ajal knows we’re here and is currently just waiting for us to deliver ourselves to him.  _ Fantastic _ !”

“Yes,” Max said slowly, tapping a finger on his chin in thought. “He may know you are here, but there is no indication that he knows you have a pack of werewolves in your back pocket. Also, he’s using dark fairy magic. Using any kind of magic leaves its mark—we may be able to use that to our advantage.”

“How so?” Sam inquired.

“Dark fairies can be killed by iron,” Max explained. “Iron may not be able to kill the demon, but it sure as hell will throw a wrench in any dark fairy magic he’s got running through him.”

A slow, sly smile crept onto Lex’s lips as the wheels in his head started to turn. “I think I may have an idea. It might be a  _ little _ crazy though."

The hunters and the werewolf all shared a knowing look with each other, ultimately agreeing on the same response.

"We're OK with crazy," Dean said.

"But…" Sam started, a slight hint of logic creeping in. "Exactly how crazy are we talking?"

* * *

"I have issues with this plan," Sam said, sitting across from Dean at a wooden table in Max's temporarily closed pool hall while they filled shotgun shells with a mix of rock salt and iron powder.

"We all have issues with this plan," Dean said. "Hell, Lex has issues with this plan and he's the one that came up with it, but I have faith in him. I believe this will work."

The younger Winchester cocked an eyebrow at his brother. "Since when are you a Lex fan? You couldn't stand him a few days ago."

"A lot has happened in the past few days. Plus, Andy loves him and he makes her really happy."

"I'll say he does!" 

Sam and Dean both turned their heads at the new voice to see a man who was the spitting image of a much younger Max that had long hair pulled back into a ponytail coming out of the pack leader’s office.

"There were some  _ seriously _ happy noises coming out of that motel room earlier," the man continued, pulling up a chair to join the Winchesters at their table.

"We didn't need to know that, Spence," Dean grumbled, going back to making more shells.

"Awe, don't be jealous, Dean!" Spence said with a playful teasing air. "It's not Lex's fault you screwed the pooch with Andy."

"I didn't… Us not working out was a totally mutual decision!" Dean insisted.

Spence laughed loudly. "You forget, my room was right next to yours three years ago."

Dean opened his mouth for a comeback, however, Sam stepped in before he could. "Any headway on the communication issue?"

"Well, we found out it's not a spell," Spence said. "Lex was able to work some hacker magic and found some kind of virus somewhere. He got the internet sorted out, but phone lines and cell towers are still a bust. He said he needed more time than he had to work on that right now."

"That's specific," Dean snarked.

"I didn't ask a lot of questions, Dean! He got us  _ something _ back. That's all I cared about."

"Were they able to get everything they needed?" Sam asked, steering away from another spat.

"Lex just sent me an email saying they found just enough of the iron powder. He, Andy, Frankie, and Tommy are on their way to the fire station now. Pops and Gina are on their way with Justin to try and get Alston's car."

"The rest of the pack on board?" Dean asked.

"Absolutely," Spence confirmed. "None of us take kindly to a damn demon fucking with our town or people we care about. Everyone is standing by if we need them."

"That's good," Sam said. "Still a lot that could go wrong."

"When do we ever have a plan that doesn't have the possibility of going sideways?" Dean asked. "As long as everyone plays their part, we should come out on top." 

"That really doesn't make me feel any better," Sam groused.

* * *

All the preparations had been made. Lex, along with most of the other hunters, Max, as well as the werewolf’s three children, were inside the pool hall taking care of a few last-minute details. Andy and Frankie stood outside at the back of the building standing over a fire that Frankie had built in a metal trash can. The two of them gazed into the fire, their expressions twisted with worry and uncertainty.

"Are you sure about this, Andy?" Frankie asked. "This isn't exactly something we've done before. It could end really badly."

"I know that, but we don't have a choice," she said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a demon warding hex bag.

Frankie sighed and did the same and together they dropped them both into the fire. After making sure both bags were burnt, he doused the fire with a pail of water he had close by and placed the lid on the can to smother any remnants of the blaze. Without another word they entered the back door of the pool hall and were met by Max's oldest son.

Tommy was just as tall as his father and had the same green eyes, but his short sandy brown hair was closer to that of his mother's. He smiled at them when they entered and locked the door behind them. "You guys ready for this?" he asked.

"As ready as we'll ever be," Frankie said.

"Everything is gonna work out," Tommy said with confidence, reaching into his pocket to pull out a set of car keys he handed to Frankie. "Keys to Alston's car. Pops said that thing is warded to the nines, too."

"Great!" Frankie said.

"Where's Lex?" Andy asked suddenly.

"He's in Pops' office. Hey, are you OK?" The wolf had finally noticed that she looked almost sick.

"I'm fine," she said and started on her way towards the office.

Dread and doubt berated in her mind. She had believed so much in Lex's plan but as zero hour approached her reservations set in. As she walked into Max's office she plastered a smile on her face. Lex looked up from his laptop when she closed the door, greeting her with a smile that fell away the moment he saw her face.

"Babe, what's wrong?" he asked, standing and crossing over to her.

She sighed, leaning against the door. "Are you sure about this, Lex? I mean, I'm on board with most of it, but there are a few aspects…"

He closed the distance between them, his hands settling on her hips as his forehead rested on hers. "I'll admit it's out there, but I was able to get an email through to Seth, and he said Rowena thinks it will work. If it doesn't, then we move to plan B. We've all set everything up to where switching plans can happen easily."

Andy reached up to frame his face with her hands and pressed a deep kiss to his lips. "I love you so much, Lex."

"I love you, too," he said and brought their mouths together again.

A knock at the door followed by Dean's voice had them reluctantly pulling apart. "Come on you two! It's time to do this! Max and Gina already left for the fire station."

"Guess that's my and Frankie's cue to do the same," Andy whispered, stealing one last kiss. "Please, be careful."

"You too."

A few minutes later Andy and Frankie were walking through the parking lot towards Alston's car, both scanning every inch of their surroundings. Andy paused, her gaze shifting behind her as Frankie made his way to the driver's side door. His eyes drifted to follow hers to the side of the building where he spotted a pair of eyes attempting to watch them discreetly. When she turned back to him and their eyes met, they both knew...

"Frankie," Andy’s voice started with a slight tremble. "I… I can't… I don't think we should do this."

"Which part exactly?" he asked, his expression growing wary.

"All of it!" she shouted. "This is ridiculous! We're all going to get ourselves killed! We should just…" She stared hard at her friend, forcing herself to say the words. "We should just bolt! Get our shit, take Alston's car and just fucking disappear! It's not like we have anything tying us to anything anymore!"

"Wait," Frankie said, walking back around to her. "You mean just us, don't you?" Frankie's eyes went wide when she nodded. "Andy, what about Aiden?! Lex?! You love him!"

"Yeah, well, love can only get you so far," Andy snapped. "And you can't love someone if you're dead!" She grabbed both of Frankie's hands into her own. "Please, Frankie! I'm done with this life! I just want out! We can go somewhere Ajal will never find us!"

Frankie's eyes darted frantically between his long-time best friend and the pool hall, falling back onto their hidden audience before going back to her. "Are you sure, Andy?"

"Yes," she confirmed, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Then let's go."

With one more glance at their surroundings, the former Army majors jumped into Alston's car and sped away from the werewolf-owned business. As the car faded into the distance, a short and lanky man stepped out from the side of the building, his eyes blinking into deep black voids, a wicked grin spreading across his features.

  
  
  
  



	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Violence

_ Lebanon, Kansas _

The occupants of the bunker had been sent into overdrive after Lex emailed the coded message to Seth. The instructions for deciphering it were sent to Castiel via prayer by Dean. After reading the hidden message, the angel and Ketch had immediately headed to the weapons room to collect what they would need while Seth and Rowena gravitated towards the storage room to gather what was required for the spells the witch needed to cast. 

It was now imperative that the witch's blade—among other things—be ready to use on Ajal, and they were suddenly now on a very strict time crunch. It wouldn't be long until their part of Lex's plan would be needed, and they all still had a lot to do.

Seth had been quiet, listening to Rowena mumble under her breath as they went through the storage shelves, putting what they needed in a large ceramic bowl that had been placed on a metal table. He couldn't help but replay the past few days over in his head: Everything they had gone through, all that they had learned. He for one had definitely discovered a ton of new information about fairies that he had never expected to. But as he placed raven feathers, a bag of Yggdrasil and Oak bark, and a small jar of boar tusk dust into their bowl, his head cocked to the side in thought.

"Row?" he questioned, not taking his eyes off of the bowl.

"Yes?" she said, looking through an old box on one of the shelves.

"Why do we need so many Nordic religious items in this spell?"

"For the same reason Ajal needs the Norse God bloodlines for his spell. It's fairy magic."

Seth turned his confused gaze to the red-headed witch, watching her pull what she had been looking for from the shelf and turn to place it in their bowl. 

"How are those two things connected?" he asked.

She met his stare as she placed a clear bag of viper skin in the bowl. "It's more of a legend really," she admitted. "Some say that Odin won a bet against Oberon and as payment, the fairy king had to give the Nordic gods and goddesses immortality and their powers. So, because of that, fairy magic and Nordic magic are very similar. Fae magic is much more advanced, however. And  _ dark _ fairy magic—even I'm not crazy enough to mess with that. On top of pretty much draining the life force of any being other than a fairy stupid enough to use it, the power… well… it  _ changes _ the user. I'm honestly not even sure how Ajal isn't completely drained of power."

"He  _ is  _ a demon."

"Doesn't matter," Rowena said. "Ajal is just your run-of-the-mill demon trying to be more than he was meant for. He had to have used some kind of dark fairy magic to hurt Alston and kill his brother. He definitely used it when he killed Andy and Frankie's friend, when you all ran into him in Virginia, and he's been using it to conceal his location from us. He should have, for lack of a better way to say it, evaporated by now! Whatever he's done to sustain himself... I worry it may be our downfall."

Seth turned his back to the items in the ceramic bowl as the witch's words settled in his mind, dread slowly creeping in. But then a certain part of Alston's story about how his twin had supposedly died filtered in through his thoughts and he felt his stomach drop. "Fuck!" he exclaimed, snapping his eyes up to the witch and then turning to bolt from the room.

"Seth!" the witch called, following after him. "What the hell?!"

"I know what we've been missing!" he said, running into the library to his laptop.

* * *

_ Lander, Wyoming _

Andy and Frankie made it to the motel room they had rented with the Winchesters and Lex. With a final confirming glance at one another, they exited the vehicle, making sure to take in their surroundings as they did.

"Is that stuff still on our tire?" Frankie asked as they closed their doors.

Andy moved to the back passenger's side tire and knelt down to look, discreetly sweeping her gaze over the back half of the parking lot where a short and lanky man, the same man that had watched them leave the pool hall, watched them from a distance. "Yup," she confirmed as she stood.

Frankie chuckled, both of them starting to walk towards the door of the motel room. "We'll clean it off here in a bit."

* * *

A wicked grin spread across the suspicious man's face, his eyes turning black while he watched the two humans enter the room. He had them now! They actually thought they could bail and escape?! Not on his watch! His boss would be so happy with him when he brought him the man's head on a stick and the girl primed and ready for the extraction of her heart. He was so lucky he had been nearby when their warding temporarily failed.

The demon crossed the parking lot quickly and pressed his ear to the door, listening for movement. His face scrunched in confusion when he heard none. That didn't mean anything though; they could just be gathering their things in silence. He made a quick decision and placed his hand on the doorknob, ready to use his power to break into the room. But again, he was surprised when he encountered no resistance. This was not like the military trained hunters he had heard so much about. Running like cowards must have made them sloppy.

The demon quickly flung the door open, aiming to use the element of surprise to subdue them both. However, he was met with an empty room that held no evidence that anyone had ever taken up residence in the space. Where did they go? He slowly entered the room, not bothering to close the door. Had they seen him? He checked and found nothing under each bed then moved to the bathroom where he was met with another confounding sight. The demon's mouth dropped open as he stood in the doorway trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

The bathroom was just as empty as the rest of the motel room, save for the ladder standing right smack dab in the middle and going all the way to the ceiling.

"Whatcha looking at?"

The demon jumped and spun on his heel at the sudden voice behind him to find a girl with bright pink hair standing with her hands behind her back. He blinked at her, utterly bewildered that she had snuck up on him. He quickly realized why when her werewolf teeth descended.

"Hi! I'm Gina!" she said with a cheerfulness that only added to the bizarre feeling of the whole situation.

"My boss already knows they ran like cowards!" the demon growled at her.

"Perfect!" she exclaimed and brought her hands around to reveal an angel blade gripped tightly in her right hand. Before the demon could react, she raised her weapon and slammed it into his heart. "That's just what we wanted."

* * *

Shortly after Frankie and Andy had left the pool hall, Lex had moved his laptop out into the main room. One by one, the Winchesters, Justin, Tommy, and Spence crowded behind his chair to join him in watching the screen. A map of Lander stared back at them with two moving dots traveling along the streets and finally making it to the motel room they had all been in earlier. Each of them held a collective breath as the markers stopped moving for a couple of minutes and when they blinked off the screen a sigh of relief left them all simultaneously.

"They're in," Lex said and stood, turning to Tommy who was now watching the phone in his hand.

A smile lit up the werewolf's face when the device gave a small ding. "Gina just emailed. Demon's dead and he ran his mouth like we were hoping."

"I can't believe the idiot fell for the act Frankie and Andy put on," Justin said. 

"Sometimes you see what you wanna see," Spence said.

"Ain't that the truth," Dean said. "Now let's move. We have to be in position when they get back."

* * *

_ Avalon _

Alston sat in a lotus position on the lush green grass of the meadow overlooking the crystal fairy castle in the distance. He waited patiently with his hands folded together in his lap with his eyes closed while a breeze wafted through his silver hair. The sounds of the forest along the edges of the meadow danced peacefully in his ears and the energy flowing around him brought a tranquility in a way that was unprecedented.

When the air beside him started to ripple he noticed it instantly. Energy sparked through the air as the ripple started to twist and swirl on itself and Alston smiled to himself when he felt the specific energy signatures barreling through space and time. In the next instant, the forming portal lit up with a soft white light and then unceremoniously spit out Frankie and Andy.

The two hit the ground hard with groans of pain as they rolled to a stop on the grass. Slowly they pushed themselves up and forced smiles when they saw their fairy friend grinning back at them.

"I knew Lex was smart enough to figure it out!" Alston exclaimed.

"Yeah," Frankie grunted, continuing to his feet and helping Andy up as he went. "None of us took into account the landing though."

"Yes," Alston mused as he, too, rose. "I speculate it is quite hard to put the breaks on without a bit of magic on your side."

"It  _ is  _ quite hard to find the fairy portals without magic in the first place." 

The three spun around at the deep gruff voice invading in on their conversation. A look of fear overcame the fairy as he gazed upon the tall man with pale blue hair with eyes to match wearing armored chest plates attached to a flowing navy blue cape. He held a long golden spear encrusted with jewels resembling diamonds around the base of the blade. A magnificent crown of dark green leaves and bright multicolored flowers adorned his head, the foliage reacting to his movements while he eyed Alston and the two humans beside him.

"King Oberon," Alston greeted respectfully, giving the fairy king a deep bow.

"Would you care to elaborate on how these humans are here?" Oberon asked. "I only gave you permission to help  _ the one _ through to the others attempting to stop the user of the dark fairy magic."

"Your majesty," Andy started, tentatively stepping forward. The king's eyes narrowed dangerously on her. "Alston didn't bring us here."

"Then how are you here?"

"Well…" Andy said, glancing back at Frankie and then back to the fairy king. "It's like this…"

_ Andy glanced around the room after Lex had explained his mostly theoretical plan. Max and the Winchesters were looking at each other, seemingly trying to decide which question to ask first while Frankie and Justin stood on either side of her with their mouths parted a little, trying to process the words that had come out of their friend's mouth. Max was the first to speak up, his eyes falling onto the hacker. _

_ "Gotta admit, Lex. This is kinda far-fetched even by our standards. I'm on board with the iron and holy water thing and storming the castle to get your friends back—that's doable. But the fairy portals? Son, that's insane. We don't even know how they work, let alone how we even test it. We can't just go poking around the ceiling. I'm willing to bet hitting the wrong spot could be disastrous." _

_ "I completely agree," Lex said with an amount of confidence that was unsettling. "But, judging from the fairy knowledge I've learned over the past few days and how Justin explained the portals, it sounds to me like they work like wormholes." _

_ "Wormholes?" Dean questioned. "Lex, there is no proof that those things even exist!" _

_ "Coming from a guy that has died how many times?" Lex snarked with a quirked eyebrow. _

_ "Let's just hear him out," Andy said as Dean grumbled. _

_ "Thanks, babe," Lex said and moved back towards the table. "A wormhole is a speculative structure linking disparate points in spacetime," he started to explain, grabbing the piece of paper he had used to break Stiles' code and flipping it over. "It's based on a special solution of the Einstein field equations solved using a Jacobian matrix and determinant." He began to draw a diagram as he continued. "A wormhole can be visualized as a tunnel with two ends, each at separate points in spacetime. Think of it like two mouths connected by the same throat. The mouths would more than likely be spheroidal and the throat would be like a tubular path."  _

_ He paused to look up at the hunters and the werewolf to confirm they were following. "More precisely, it's a transcendental bijection of the spacetime continuum, an asymptotic projection of the Calabi–Yau manifold manifesting itself in Anti-de Sitter space. In theory, a wormhole could connect extremely long distances such as a billion light-years or more, short distances such as a few meters, different universes, or different points in time. I believe the fairy portals work the same way." _

_ "How the hell do you even know all that?" Dean asked in amazement. _

_ Lex smirked, tapping the pen to his temple. "An expansive knowledge of comics and fiction. It also helps that I had a professor at MIT that was obsessed with wormhole theory. I thought he was certifiably insane at the time, but after everything that's happened… it doesn't sound that crazy anymore." _

_ "That still doesn't explain how we find them," Sam insisted. _

_ "That is another part of the theory," Lex said, moving to his bag. He dug through it a moment and pulled out a flashlight. He clicked it on and continued. "It's all concentrated energy, so, if you add another energy source such as light..." He quickly walked to the bathroom and stepped inside, waiting patiently as the others filed in behind him before shining the light onto the wall of the darkened room. "When the beam hits the wall it acts exactly the way we expect it to. But," he started to move his flashlight up the wall. "The closer it gets to the disrupted energy it starts to act differently." Just as he said, when the beam of light hit the ceiling it scattered and danced in unnatural ways. "And when we get to the center where supposedly the energy is the most concentrated, the weaker one should cancel out because it's sucked into the stronger one." _

_ The hacker moved his light slowly across the ceiling, paying attention to where the light started to flicker and then finally, when the beam was directly in the center of the room, the bulb inside the flashlight burst. He smiled triumphantly as he pointed at the spot. _

_ "There's your entrance." _

_ "Well I'll be damned," Max said. "The boy did it." _

The look on King Oberon's face as Andy finished retelling how Lex had found the fairy portal was one of a being that wasn't sure if he should be enraged or thoroughly impressed. Andy breathed a sigh of relief when a smile touched the fairy king's lips and his eyes turned to Alston.

"Is this Lex the boy descended from Loki?" Oberon asked.

"Yes, Your Highness," Alston replied.

The fairy king laughed jovially for a moment before he spoke again. "I thought so. It  _ would _ be one from that bloodline with a cleverness that sharp. I dare say that boy has earned a reward for his discovery." The king stroked his chin in thought for a moment. "Ah! I will have a fairy of lust service—"

"He's taken!" Andy growled.

The king raised his brow at her brazen attitude but bowed his head ever so slightly. "My apologies. I will have to come up with something else."

"Hey, I hate to interrupt," Frankie said, stepping forward. "But we kinda have some things to take care of. We have a psychotic demon intent on wreaking havoc in our world—"

"Why do you refer to the dark fairy magic-user as a demon?" Oberon cut it. "Alston has done the same and I don't understand why."

The fairy and the two humans shared an uncertain glance before they turned bewildered eyes back to the fairy king.

"Um... because he's a demon," Andy said slowly.

"Hmm," Oberon mused, placing his free hand on his hip. "I suppose he was at one time, maybe still is to some degree. But... he's more of a…  _ hybrid _ since the fusion."

"Pardon my brashness, Your Highness," Alston started. "But…  _ WHAT _ ?!"

"Yes, that is right," the King said, looking up briefly as a memory played out in his mind. "You were mostly unconscious after you came home to recharge after the incident." He brought his eyes back to his subject. "Then you left so quickly once you were awake there was no chance for me to explain, and when you returned to Avalon the matter seemed to be settled. I saw no point in burdening you with your brother's true fate."

“What happened to Elden?” Alston asked, his voice quivering with reservation.

“When the demon attacked the two of you that day and sent Elden’s energy to Earth, he somehow found a way to absorb that energy. I have no sound explanation to how he accomplished this, however I speculate that it was your brother’s wavering moral compass and a spell from the dark fairy spellbook. Though, I am unclear on how the demon accomplished this. He was not very powerful when this happened.”

Andy saw the color drain from the fairy’s face and reached out to grab his hand, squeezing it and sending as much comfort through the action as she could, an act that did not go unnoticed by King Oberon. “Does that mean that they are both residing in the same vessel?” she asked.

King Oberon took a moment to ponder his answer before he replied. “I do not believe so. If I so choose, I can sense the location of each of the light fairies under my rule. With Elden, the moment he became one with the demon, he became lost to me. What I speculate has occurred is that the joining twisted both of them and the surge of power that the demon now possesses is because he has become more dark fairy than demon.”

“What does that mean for us taking him out?” Frankie asked. “Will iron get the job done? The witch’s blade? An angel blade?”

“I cannot say for sure,” Oberon said sadly. “I am not entirely certain my knowledge is completely accurate. It is possible that none of those will work. This particular fusion has never taken place before.”

Air left harshly from the two hunters and the fairy at the new daunting revelation. The gut-punch of knowledge had their stomachs twisting as they each shared a dread-filled glance.

“So,” Andy started, swallowing hard. “There is a possibility we could go in there with no hope of ending this.”

“If you go in with your current weapons, yes,” Oberon confirmed. “However.” His head slowly turned to gaze at his long golden spear. “There may be a way I can help.”

He tapped the butt of his spear on the ground three times and the weapon began to shrink to a quarter of its size, making it small enough to wield like a long dagger. The king spun the blade in his hand and extended it towards Andy. She hesitantly wrapped her hand around the hilt and met the king’s gaze.

“My spear will be able to end the life of whatever combination of fairy and demon you will encounter,” he said. “I expect this to be returned when you are done.” Andy nodded and he released his weapon to her. “Now, I suppose you will be needing to go fetch your allies.” The king held his hand out to the side and the air beside him began to swirl with bright white light. “My portals make for a much softer landing.”

Andy released Alston’s hand to wrap her arms around the fairy’s neck, being careful not to nick him with the spear. He gladly returned the gesture and hugged her tightly. When she felt a sudden weight in her pocket, she pulled back with a questioning gaze narrowed onto the fairy. 

“You two should get going,” Alston said with a wink. “We will be awaiting your return to send you back to Wyoming.”

Taking his subtle hint, Andy simply turned to Frankie and together they walked towards the portal.

"Alexandria," Oberon called.

The two hunters turned to face him.

"Is it correct to assume  _ you _ are Lex's mate?"

"Yes."

The king smiled warmly at her. "Then the gift I owe him is as much yours as his. Just keep that in mind."

"I will."

Alston moved to stand beside his king as the two watched the hunters disappear into the portal.

"I know what you have done, Alston."

"I am aware."

"So you have seen how this will end for them?"

Alston sighed heavily. "I have seen the possibilities."

"Why did you not tell her?"

"Because this needs to end and because… I believe in them."

"Hmm…" Oberon mused, his hands landing on his hips. "Then I suppose I have a few favors to call in."

* * *

_ Lander, Wyoming _

A.B. Stiles had seen a lot in his life. Being a major in the Marines and then an undercover operative for the CIA had shown him what mankind was capable of. He had seen more blood, death, and betrayal than he cared to think about, and there were still nights that the faces of his more brutal orders haunted his dreams. However, nothing had prepared him for looking the very essence of evil in the eye.

A chill had run down his spine when those black eyes turned in his direction at that airport parking garage in what felt like ages ago at this point. Oh, he had fought—he had fought hard—and given that demon a run for his money and was proud to say that Terri had as well. The creature of darkness had to fight dirty in order to subdue the couple, calling in backup that Stiles swore appeared out of thin air. That was when everything went dark.

When he opened his eyes again he was tied to a chair with Terri in the same position right next to him. They were in some kind of abandoned factory in what he could only assume was a room used for storage at one point judging from the rusty shelves carelessly tossed along the sidewall. She had come to the same time he did, and when their gazes locked he could see how terrified she truly was. He had tried to assure her everything would be alright and they would find a way out of their situation.

Those promises felt hollow once a man wearing an all-black suit walked into the room. Stiles knew he was the one in charge simply by the way he walked in with a sinister grin that twisted his stomach into knots. The way the other demons reacted to him only cemented his speculation, bowing nearly in half when he entered the room, never daring to call him by name. He had pulled up a chair in front of them, spinning it around and sitting with his arms folded on the back. Stiles had demanded to know who he was and what he wanted and the reply the man gave while his eyes flashed to black was enough to make both Terri and Stiles want to throw up.

_ "Your sister and friend know me by the name Ajal and you're going to bring them to me." _

And that was all the information they had received before another one of his lackeys came into the room with his head hung low with pure terror on his features. Stiles soon found out the reason for the demon's fear: they had lost sight of Andy, Lex, and the rest of the crew they were after. Ajal's rage was unparalleled to anything he had ever seen before, demanding how they could simply  _ lose _ them. When the underling stumbled through a drawn-out version of "I don't know," Ajal roared with rage and punched his hand through the other demon's chest and a few seconds later the creature exploded with a crimson light.

It was then that the beatings started, Ajal trying to obtain information and Stiles refusing and making snide remarks to make sure the attention stayed on him instead of Terri. Night came and went twice, bringing a morning where the demon had suddenly stopped, his eyes turning a glowing silver as a wicked smile crossed his face. The laughter that followed was hysterical and maniacal as he muttered the words "foolish, brother," and then vanished before the humans’ eyes.

When he returned a few hours later with his suit singed in some places that revealed charred yet rapidly healing skin, Ajal seemed to have  _ changed. _ His body twitched and jerked, his eyes flashing between black and gray, talking to himself as if he were two separate creatures. He had turned to Terri and Stiles, going on about how Andy, Frankie, Lex's friends from the coffee shop, and the supposed FBI agents they had met in Rhode Island were really hunters of monsters, and that they had pulled Lex into their dangerous world. They would all die—that much the demon and his other personality agreed on.

After he had hashed through monsters, angels, and demons being real and how he had sent vampires to test the group of hunters, he told Stiles that he would help bring them to him. The CIA operative refused until the bastard held a knife to Terri's neck. He agreed to make the call, but not before he found out a way to warn Lex—a warning both Terri and Stiles prayed they heeded.

That was hours ago, and now the two CIA employees sat in an empty room, both trying to free themselves of the ropes holding them in their seats.

"Any luck?" Stiles whispered.

"No," Terri replied. "Every time I think I have some slack it's like these damn ropes tighten on their own."

Stiles grunted a response. He was having the same issue and his brain teased at a reason he wasn’t prepared to accept.

"Do you think he figured it out?" Terri asked as she ceased her movements out of frustration.

"Of course he did," Stiles told her without hesitation. "I just hope they are being safe." 

* * *

Lex pressed his back against the cinder block on the outside of the old factory next to the back entrance with the Winchesters on either side of him, each of them armed with sawed-off shotguns loaded with salt and iron rounds. They also each had an angel blade for good measure. The hacker glanced between the brothers, each agreeing on their hiding place until they heard the signal. Lex glanced towards the setting sun in the distance, trying to calm the nerves rattling through his body by replaying every bit of CIA field training he had received over the years along with the extra lessons Stiles had been adamant about teaching him. Skills that he now thanked his friend for having the foresight to teach him.

He knew he had gotten lucky with the vampire, catching the creature off guard and dazing it with a tackle he had thrown all his weight into. Fighting demons he knew would be much more challenging. He pushed away the wisps of doubt seeping into his brain; he couldn't afford to not believe in his ability right now. His friends and the love of his life were counting on him and the Winchesters.

"We got this, Lex," Dean whispered.

"This is gonna work," Sam added.

"Thanks guys," Lex replied, truly grateful for the brothers' vote of confidence in his insane plan.

Lex felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he pulled it out, checking with the Winchesters looking over his shoulder to find a simple four-word email from Max.

_ Trip was a success _

The three men took a collective deep breath and exhaled as they listened. Barely five minutes later they heard it: the far-off wail of a firetruck barreling in their general direction.

"Let's do this," Dean said.

* * *

Stiles glanced at Terri when he heard the faint siren blaring in the distance. It was the first sign of civilization they had heard since they were brought to this place and the hope he saw in her eyes matched his. He turned his gaze to Ajal, who was pacing in the room in front of them. He had appeared just seconds before, his body still jerking as he argued with himself.

"You're a fool!" the demon growled and twitched. "You're not seeing the bigger picture! This is exactly what we want!" He suddenly punched himself in the side of his head hard enough to split a small area of skin. "I AM IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT!"

Stiles watched as a dark purple ooze dripped from the small cut on the demon's head. He was coming unhinged, and fast, something that he knew made him even more dangerous than he had been before. 

The sounds of gunshots and fighting just outside the door seemed to cause the demon to reel himself in, and when he heard the screams of his men a disgusting smile tugged at his lips and he turned to face Stiles and Terri.

"It appears your friends are here," he said with a choked laugh.

In the next instant, the door was kicked in and the Winchesters, followed by Lex, filed into the room. Despite their bloody blades and firearms aimed directly at the demon, Ajal's wickedly giddy grin never left his face.

"The Calvary is here!" Ajal exclaimed, a mocking tone to his words. "I did expect there to be more of you, but it is what it is."

"You really think we're it?" Lex asked.

Ajal sighed in mild annoyance and with a flick of his wrist sent the trio flying through the air, their weapons falling from their grasp and crashing into a wall where they were held up by an invisible force with their feet dangling above the ground. The demon crossed over to them, ignoring the shouts of his captives and the siren getting closer and closer. He stepped up to Lex, bringing his face inches from the hacker's.

"I dare say you have fewer numbers than you were counting on boy!" the demon snapped, sending spittle into Lex's face. "It absolutely delights me to inform you that your  _ precious _ Alexandria has run away with her tail between her legs." The wail of the fire engine was now loud enough to fill the room with its shrill cry yet Ajal still ignored it. "She's left you to die!"

A smirk spread across the hacker's face and he leveled a deathly glare at the demon. "Wow, demons really are gullible sons of bitches."

A sudden crash from somewhere towards the front of the building rocked the room, distracting the demon long enough to loosen his hold on the trio. They grabbed their opportunity and pushed themselves free, sending them colliding with the demon. 

The next few seconds were a blur for Terri and Stiles, watching helplessly from their restrained position. They both tried to focus on the fight unfolding in front of them, but the noise of what sounded like a storm cloud ripping open and sending a torrential downpour into the building pulled their attention to the open door. Two smoking and screaming demons flew past the threshold, propelled by a jet stream of water.

A loud blast from one of the sawed-off shotguns and Ajal screaming in pain had the two jerking their heads back to the fight beside them to find the demon lying on the ground, his chest sizzling and smoking as he glowered at the three men standing over him.

"It appears you've been had," Dean said, still aiming the gun at the demon. "That mix of salt and iron must just feel awesome!"

Lex took his chance and ran to his friends, using the angel blade he picked up on the way to cut them free. Ajal moved to go after him, only to be met with another blast that pulled another scream from him.

"You really want to do that when our friends are currently taking out every single one of your men?" Sam asked.

Ajal roared with rage as he vanished from the room and the Winchesters immediately ran to help Lex.

"What the hell are you guys doing?!" Stiles demanded. "Go after that sick bastard."

"Don't worry," Sam assured him, pulling the ropes from him while Lex and Dean did the same with Terri. "We got it covered."

"Yeah, our friends and your sister who just crashed through the front doors with a fire truck full of iron powder-laced holy water in its tank are taking care of that," Dean said, throwing Terri's bindings to the ground.

"You guys are insane," Terri said, trying to decide if what they said was true.

Dean chuckled and turned his gaze to Lex. "Lex is the one that came up with it.”

Terri turned to look at her friend who was checking her over for injuries while he helped her to her feet. Stiles stood with a proud smile directed at the hacker. "I knew you were smart enough to get us out of this!" he exclaimed.

"What does the holy water and iron have to do with anything, though?" Terri asked.

"We'll explain it all later," Lex said, finally satisfied with her physical well being. He would worry about getting her through the inevitable freak out once they all got out of this alive. "We have to get you two outta here. There is a car waiting out back."

"Andy—" Stiles started.

"Trust me, Stiles," Lex stopped him. "Andy's got plenty of back up."

"Yeah," Dean agreed, moving towards the door to check to make sure their escape was clear. "A few hunters, werewolves, a former British Man of Letters, a witch, and an angel are more than enough to take down a few demons."

"I'm sorry," Stiles said. "What the fuck did you just say?! All that shit that bastard was spouting was real?!"

"Way to drop the bomb, Dean!" Sam scolded, taking his place beside his brother.

"Can we deal with this once we get the hell outta here?!" Lex asked, ushering his flabbergasted friends towards the exit.

Stiles and Terri simply nodded as they let the trio lead them from the room.

* * *

The front room of the factory had been packed with demons when the fire truck came stampeding through the large double metal doors of the entrance. All had foolishly charged towards the vehicle, but none were quick enough for Tommy and Spence as they manned the makeshift water cannon attached to the water reservoir of the truck. With one sweep of the powerful jet, they had every demon flying through the air, howling in pain while their skin sizzled from the iron-laced holy water. The initial attack gave the others their chance to take their planned positions.

Gina and Max took up the space surrounding the truck, protecting the werewolf brothers from stragglers dumb enough to try and hurt them. The rest scattered in three groups. Ketch and Rowena darted towards the left into a recovering group of demons that the witch froze with her magic, Ketch landing the death blow with an angel blade. Castiel, Seth, and Justin went to the right to do away with the demons that were just barely getting to their feet. Frankie and Andy dashed straight down the center of the room, fighting together like a well-oiled machine to take out any demons in their path, Andy wielding Oberon's spear, Frankie the witch's blade. Tommy and Spence used their water cannon to take care of any sneak attacks. 

Andy and Frankie saw Ajal the second he appeared in the middle of the organized chaos they had created, snarling and smoking as the residual spray of the water landed on his skin. One glance to each other was all it took to know what the other was thinking, and with one nod of agreement the long-time best friends took off together towards the dark fairy magic-powered demon who had turned their lives upside down.

Ajal simply grinned as the two closed in on him, his eyes locking on the spear in Andy's hand. He dodged the attacks each threw at him with ease and turned on them with hands raised. The former Army majors recovered quickly and lunged for the demon again, only to be thrown back by an invisible punch of energy that sent their blades skidding across the floor.

With the last of the demon's lackeys falling to the ground and the iron holy water depleted, the others instantly saw the situation and immediately headed to offer their aid. However, they made it too late. Ajal simply smirked as he dove for the witch's blade, grabbing it and winking at Andy before he vanished.

* * *

A breath that they didn't realize they were holding collectively released from the Winchesters and Lex when they emerged from the back door of the factory with Stiles and Terri. They were greeted by a man with short black hair and mint green eyes wearing a police officer's uniform leaning against a police cruiser with two dead demons at his feet.

"Those two black-eyed bitches didn't give you too much trouble did they, Clark?" Dean asked as the group moved towards the vehicle.

"I'm actually kind of disappointed at how easy it was to gank them," Clark said casually, the sounds of fighting from inside the building not seeming to phase him as he kicked lightly at one of the demons.

Dean opened his mouth to respond, but the sudden quiet that fell over the space cut off his words. They all shared an uncertain glance, each silently praying their team had won.

"You three should head back inside and help my brother," Clark said. "I'll make sure these two get back safely."

"I'm afraid I have to disagree with that plan!" Ajal said, appearing behind Lex. Before any of them could register the demon's sudden appearance, Ajal had Lex’s back trapped against his chest with one arm and the witch’s blade against the hacker’s jugular. "Everyone drop their weapons!" Ajal demanded, his head giving a violent twitch as his eyes flashed back and forth between silver and black. He pressed the blade harder into Lex's throat. "You too, boy!"

Lex dropped his weapons, watching the others do the same. He could see the wheels in the Winchesters' and Clark's heads spinning on overdrive as they thought of a way to help him without having the blade shoved through his neck. However, Ajal didn't give them a chance. Lex's world spun and he felt his body being pulled in every direction. His eyes slammed shut and wind rushed past his ears and into his face. When the feelings had abruptly ended, his eyes snapped opened and he quickly realized he was standing back inside the building. The hacker caught a glimpse of Sam and Dean running towards him before Ajal slammed the door shut with his foot. The demon barked out a twisted laugh and his head jerked again when the Winchesters started to bang on the now magically locked door.

"Come on!" Ajal ordered, starting to drag Lex through the dark corridor.

The hacker had no choice but to do as was demanded of him as the demon forcefully guided him to the room where Terri and Stiles had been held. Right when the two reached the threshold of the room, Lex saw Frankie and Andy run around the corner with the rest of their group close behind and heard the back door smash open. Ajal growled, pulling Lex into the room and slamming the door. He threw the hacker to the floor and waved his hand over the doorknob. Lex heard metal locks click into place and the demon rounded on him, his left eye twitching and his head cocked too far to one side.

"On your feet, human!" Ajal bellowed, his eyes now stuck on silver.

Lex cautiously got to his feet, watching the twitching demon walk around him, trying not to be distracted by the banging on the other side of the door and Andy screaming his name. He stared at the demon while he pulled a small metal table into the center of the room, studying the way he moved and seeing how it almost looked like he was fighting his body to make the movements he wanted.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Lex asked, discreetly looking around the room for something,  _ anything _ , to defend himself with. He knew he had nothing that could kill his captor, but he knew his friends on the other side of the door would eventually get through.

Ajal slammed his fist down on the table he had pulled between them and a large tattered book appeared open in front of him on its surface. "What's wrong with us?!" Ajal croaked. "He wants to know what's wrong with us? That's hilarious! If only he knew what it was like inside this disgusting meat suit for us!"

Lex gazed at the demon in bewilderment. "Us?"

A strangled sound akin to a bark of laughter rushed from the demon's mouth. "I thought you were supposed to be the brains of this pathetic group? Have you not figured out there are two of us in front of you?! A lowly, bottom-feeding, useless demon, and a grand dark fairy powered by some of the most powerful dark magic my kind has to offer."

"I'm guessing I'm talking to the fairy now, then," Lex said, watching as the dark fairy placed the witch's blade on the table beside the book.

"Name's Elden. You've met my disloyal brother."

"Alston?!"

Elden’s reply came with a dark smirk while he glanced down at his book and then back at Lex. "I'll make you a deal, Hacker." Elden picked up the witch's blade and sliced the palm of his left hand. "Whoever retrieves the witch's blade first kills the other. Sound good?"

The dark fairy didn't wait for an agreement from Lex before he threw the blade to the side, their eyes never losing contact as they both heard the obsidian clatter against the wall and to the ground. There was a beat of silence between them, the yells and banging from the other side of the door drowned out for a brief second.

They then both lunged for the weapon.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Lots of violence, lots of blood.
> 
> Tags are there for a reason.
> 
> Also, I'm going to apologize now for the end of this chapter. Please, don't hate me and hang in there for the last chapter.

_ Lander _ , _ Wyoming _

Andy had led the charge after Ajal with Frankie by her side, the rest of their friends following suit. They had been made aware of Ajal being more dark fairy than demon, yet none realized just how far he had fallen, and how much control Elden currently had over the vessel they shared. It wouldn't have mattered how much of either being was present when Oberon's spear pierced them—all that mattered was that both of them died. This was the day it ended. One way or another.

It seemed, however, that that specific goal was pushed back to the second spot on the priority list when they watched the demon and dark fairy hybrid drag Lex into that room. Now the most important thing to them all was getting to the hacker before it was too late, before it was a body recovery instead of a rescue.

"LEX!!!" Andy screamed, Oberon's spear clattering to the floor as she and Frankie threw their shoulders into the door.

The two former Army majors had reached the barrier first and, after finding the door locked tight, they immediately started to try and break it down. Sam and Dean skidded to a stop just as the rest of their group did. All eyes met, each of them grasping for an idea, but it was Rowena who stepped up first. The witch ushered Andy and Frankie away and with a few careful and deliberate words spoken in Latin she sent a powerful blast of magic that shook the concrete wall the door was nestled in. Unfortunately, the magic ricocheted back at her, sending her flying backwards with a scream. Frankie managed to catch her before she hit the ground and held on to her as Castiel stepped up to the plate. As the angel prepared to send a shockwave of his grace to force the door open, Max along with his sons and daughter ran back to the firetruck to gather the explosives Tommy and Spence had insisted on bringing.

When Castiel failed to open the metal door, Andy, the Winchesters, Seth, Justin, and Ketch all took aim and fired at and around the door in hopes of hitting the lock, a possible sigil holding the door closed, or simply knocking it out of its frame. With their guns out of ammunition, Frankie had to pry Andy from the door after she began trying to break it down again, screaming Lex's name and not caring about the damage or pain she was causing herself.

"Andy, stop!" Frankie pleaded.

"NO!" she screeched back, trying to break free from his hold around her waist. "HE'S GOING TO KILL HIM!!!"

The werewolves came barreling back around the corner, arms full of C4 and the components they would need to blast the door open. While Max and his sons set it all up, Gina and Rowena joined Frankie in trying to calm Andy, an act that seemed fruitless the longer the walls separated her from Lex.

The wolves had the explosives set up around the door in a matter of minutes, and Max turned towards the group while his sons placed the finishing touches. "Alright everyone, take—"

His words were cut off and a silence fell in the corridor when the metal door slowly creaked open.

"LEX!" Andy screamed, using the moment of shock to escape Frankie's hold.

She grabbed Oberon's spear from where it still laid upon the ground and shoved past the men into the room. She froze as her blue eyes met golden amber ones. Lex was alive! His disheveled appearance was proof that there had been a fight and judging from the witch's blade gripped tightly in his hand, dripping with a mix of red blood and dark purple ooze from the obsidian, and the lifeless body of Ajal lying at the hacker's feet with a stab wound in its chest, it was a fight he had won.

Andy's eyes drifted down to the body on the floor and then up to Lex again. Was he really dead? Was it really over?

"It's over, babe," Lex assured her. "It's over."

Andy propelled herself forward into him, their weapons falling to the ground as they wrapped their arms around each other and pressed their lips together.

* * *

After Lex had explained what he had found out about Elden and Ajal and the insane deal he had made with the hacker, and that Lex was still confused as to how he had come out on top of, he set to work on his laptop that he had stored in the police cruiser, lifting the rest of the communication blocks the demon and dark fairy had placed. Once Terri had told him the program that had been used, hacking only took a matter of minutes. Shortly after, Max had called in a few more members of his pack to assist with the cleanup of the old factory. Together, the hunters, werewolves, witch, hacker, and angel worked as fast as they could to dispose of any evidence of their fight. Even Terri and Stiles helped the Winchesters and Lex move Ajal’s and the other two demons’ bodies by the police cruiser. Both CIA employees had a mountain of questions that they required answers to, but they understood that the scene was something none of them could risk being found by the wrong person.

After Rowena magically dried their clothes and Castiel healed any injuries that they had sustained, it was near midnight when they arrived back at _ Full Moon Billiards _. With the business still closed to the public, they had the place to themselves and pushed the few tables inside together while Max and Gina retrieved a round of beers from the small bar. Once everyone was seated with drinks in hand, it was time to tell Terri and Stiles what had really been going on the last couple of weeks. The two listened intently to every detail, from what Andy and Frankie went through six years ago all the way to the events leading to the battle they had been a part of hours before.

Terri sat with her mouth hanging slightly agape while Stiles scrubbed his hands down his face and looked back and forth between Lex and Andy sitting across from him. "What, and I can't possibly stress this enough, the _ fuck _ ?!" he exclaimed. "You all fight freaking monsters?!" His eyes landed on Lex. "And _ you _! You find out your new girlfriend does this for a living and you just jump right in?!"

Lex managed a shrug, even though he still looked a little pale and weak, ailments that hadn't gone unnoticed by Andy and Justin. "I love her, man. I would stand by her through anything."

Stiles couldn't stop the smile that tugged at his lips from his friend's simple statement and he turned his eyes to Terri. "I guess I can understand that."

"Aiden," Andy started, pulling her brother's attention. "I understand this is a lot and it's not exactly what you thought I was doing with my life and you're probably disappointed that—"

"Whoa, hold up!" Stiles said. "No, this…this wasn't even in the realm of possibility of what I thought you were doing overseas. But don't you dare think for one second that I'm disappointed in you or that I'm not insanely proud of you. You took the most horrible experience of your life, turned it around, and saved so many people because of it."

"So, you're OK with all this?" Frankie asked.

"Oh, I've still got a lot to wrap my head around," he said, glancing briefly down the row of tables at the werewolves, witch, and angel. "But I'll get there."

"We both will," Terri added as she reached across the table to place her hand over Lex's. "We’re proud of you, too."

Lex gave her a half-hearted smile, twitching ever so slightly as he pulled his hand away. "We all did it."

"No, she's right," Ketch spoke up. "It isn't often the rookie takes out the big bad." He raised his bottle towards Lex. "Very nicely done."

"I'll drink to that," Max agreed, raising his drink as well. "To Lex!"

The rest of the group eagerly joined in with toasting and praising their comrade, sentiment that he did his best to wave off quickly.

"There's something I don't get," Seth said once the ruckus had died down.

"What's that?" Dean asked.

"Well," Seth began, pausing to choose his words. "Oberon told Andy and Frankie he wasn't sure the witch's blade, or an angel blade for that matter, would kill him. That's why he let us borrow his spear."

"It seems, dare I say it, that for once we got lucky," Dean said.

"And it was only a possibility those wouldn't work," Frankie added. "Lex, Stiles, and Terri all said that he was kind of…_ twitchy _. Sounds like they were both unraveling in the first place."

"But what about the spellbook Lex saw?" Seth questioned further. "We couldn't find any trace of it."

"I believe I can answer that," Rowena said. "The book and the dark fairy magic were a part of both of them. When they both died, the book essentially did the same."

"I admit," Max interjected. "It's a tad convenient for our standards, Seth. But, Cas and Rowena both scoured every inch of that place. There was no sign of either Ajal or Elden surviving."

Justin wrapped his arm around Seth's shoulder. "We won this one, babe. It's over."

Seth finally smiled, accepting what was in front of them. "Sooo, does that mean it's time to tell everybody?"

Justin's face split into a bright grin. "I think so."

"Tell everybody what?" Gina inquired.

"We've decided to finally get married!" Seth said exuberantly. "And all of you are invited."

The pool hall erupted with shouts of excitement as everyone got to their feet to offer hugs and handshakes of congratulations to the newly engaged couple. However, Justin and Andy shared a worrisome glance when Lex pulled away from hugging the couple with a forced smile to return to his seat. With a declaration from Max that "this calls for the good stuff!" as he pulled three bottles of champagne from behind the bar, Andy slipped away to Lex while the others continued to celebrate the happy news.

"Lex, baby, are you OK?" she asked, sitting down next to him. "You've been acting kinda off since we got here."

Lex's face was in his hands and he raked his fingers through his hair as he raised his head to look at her, his once vibrant amber eyes now somewhat dull. "I'm fine, babe," he assured her. "I think I'm just exhausted and my head is kinda swimming from everything."

"Like an adrenaline crash?"

"I guess," he agreed. He really didn't know how else to explain it.

"Is there anything I can do? We could just go back to the room if you want," she offered and reached out her hand for one of his that he had rested on the table.

He jerked away and stood before she could make contact with his skin, his head giving way to a small spasm as he did. "No, I think I just need some air. I'll be back in a few minutes." Ignoring the look of confusion mixed with a hint of hurt on her face, Lex turned and walked out of the pool hall as she stared after him.

"What's going on?"

Andy's head snapped around to find Justin standing beside her. "He says he's just exhausted. He went out to get some air. Except...Justin, he wouldn't let me touch him. He pulled away from Terri earlier too, and you saw the look on his face when he hugged you." She stood from the table and started to follow in her boyfriend's footsteps. "I should go check on him."

"Andy," Justin said, halting her steps by gently grabbing her arm. "He's been through a lot the past few days and things are finally calm enough for him to start processing everything. I'm sure he'll be fine once he gets himself together." He sighed at the unagreeable look she gave him. "If he isn't back in five minutes we'll _ both _ go check on him."

Andy huffed and nodded while she took her seat, her eyes never leaving the clock on the wall as she counted down the minutes.

* * *

Lex took a deep breath and leaned against the side of the pool hall, trying to focus on the coolness of the brick through his clothes despite the warm July night. He couldn't concentrate as he tried to navigate through the fog in his head, his brain skipping from one incomplete thought to the next without rhyme or reason. A dull headache started to thrum at the base of his skull and he pushed his fingers through his hair. The crawling sensation of his skin had his hands moving to attempt to rub away the feeling on his arms. What the hell was wrong with him? 

Maybe he should have told Andy what was really going on with him. Everybody was just so happy and they finally had a moment where they didn't have to be on guard waiting for something to attack or rescue someone. He didn't want to be the one to ruin that, but with the wave of nausea that was suddenly washing over him, he decided he may need to take Andy up on her offer of just going back to the room. With a huff, he pushed himself off the wall. His head spun and he had to brace his hand on the brick to keep from falling.

_ "I told you it was hell sharing a vessel." _

Lex whipped his head around, frantically looking for the owner of the voice. For a fleeting second, he thought it had come from inside his own head...but that was crazy. 

Wasn't it?

_ "Not as crazy as you think, hacker." _

A sickening thought rolled through Lex's mind as the voice's words finally started to compute. The witch's blade hadn't worked—at least not completely. The hacker's face twisted in anger while he slowly started to put the pieces together. Elden wanted to rid himself of Ajal. However, in order to do that, he needed somewhere else to go. The deal the dark fairy had mockingly offered was a distraction so he could cast a spell from the spellbook that had conveniently vanished.

_ "Well, I guess you _ ** _are_ ** _ the brains of the group," _ Elden mocked in his head. _ "I needed you to kill Ajal with that blade in order for me to…shall we say…move in. Now, I don't have to share the power I'll get from making you carve your girlfriend and best friend's hearts out. I'll even cut yours out nice and slow so I can show it to you before you slip away and leave me this body." _

"Get out of my head you sick son of a bitch!" Lex demanded, his voice a deadly growl. "I'm not doing _ any _ of that!"

_ "We'll see about that, hacker." _

A blood-curdling scream tore from Lex's mouth, white-hot pain searing through his skull and he fell to the ground on his knees.

"NOOO!!!" Lex shouted, his hands flying up to clutch at his head as his body finally crumpled to the pavement.

He fought the dark fairy trying to gain control of his mind as hard as he could. His consciousness thrashed against the invading evil presence until he couldn't hold off the darkness any longer.

* * *

"Where is he?" Andy asked, looking around the parking lot as she and Justin walked out of the front door of Max's pool hall.

The only things visible in the parking lot were the Impala, Max's king cab truck, Alston's car, and Tommy and Spence's Harleys. There was no sign that Lex had even come outside.

"You check on the left, I'll check on the right," Justin said and the two both headed off in separate directions on the sides of the building.

Andy's side of the brick building was mostly dark, the only light coming from a dim and flickering light above the employee side entrance. A heavy, ominous feeling set in as she rounded the corner, sending every nerve in her body on high alert. 

Something wasn't right.

"Lex?" she called cautiously. "Lex, are you OK?"

Before her brain could register what was happening, hands were on her waist, turning and pushing her against the wall. Her immediate response to fight quickly drained away when she realized it was Lex who had a hold of her. But there was something in the way his fingers started to dig into her hip bones and the cold look in his eyes that had her stomach churning, sending a shiver down her spine. For the first time since they met, she found herself frantically trying to get his hands off of her.

"Let me go!" she demanded, trying to push him away.

A yelp of surprise slipped from her when he grabbed her wrists and pinned them on either side of her head. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" he asked, his nails biting into the skin of her wrists, his voice gruff and raspy as he inhaled at her neck. "Thought you _ loved _ me."

"Lex! Stop! You're hurting me!" Andy shouted, hoping desperately that Justin could hear her.

No sooner had the words left her lips, he was jerking away from her like she had burned him, hissing and howling in pain as he stumbled backwards. A dark, gut-wrenching chuckle escaped him as he clutched his chest and peered up at her from his doubled over position. "Guess he doesn't like me touching you," he rasped, his amber eyes fading into a silver hue.

Andy's mind screamed at her as she quickly worked through what was happening, going over what had taken place at the factory and what Lex had experienced. Tears stung her eyes when the sickening thought finally smacked into her. "Elden," she whispered in a shaky voice.

She was frozen to her spot, watching the dark fairy possessing Lex stand straight and slowly stalk forward. What could she do? Oberon's spear was in the trunk of Dean's car, but even if she had it she couldn't use it. Killing Elden would mean killing Lex. He was close enough to reach out and grab her now. Why couldn't she bring herself to at least run, scream, _ something _?! She knew better than this!

"Hey! There you guys are!"

Both Andy and Elden's head swiveled in the direction of the voice to find Justin walking towards them. The smile on his face quickly fell when he saw the terrified look in Andy's eyes and the sick grin on his friend's face, but he stopped in his tracks and pulled his gun when he saw silver eyes in the place of the golden amber Lex was supposed to have. The same thought process Andy had gone through filtered rapidly through his brain and he cocked his gun as he took aim.

"Get the hell away from her!" Justin ordered.

"Are you really going to shoot your best friend, Justin?" Elden asked, starting to move in the hunter's direction. "Hurting me hurts Lex."

Something inside Andy snapped when she saw Elden moving towards Justin, the other hunter obviously fighting an internal battle over whether or not he would be able to shoot his friend. She pushed herself from the wall and hurled at Elden, jumping on his back and wrapping her arms around his neck in a chokehold.

"Andy!" Justin shouted and rushed forward.

She heard the devious laugh from the dark fairy as he grabbed her arm and effortlessly pulled her over his head and threw her into Justin. His gun dropped from his hand, banging onto the ground as they both hit the pavement.

Elden hissed loudly and clutched at his head as the two tried to recover and push themselves up. "STOP IT!" he roared. "THIS IS MY BODY NOW!"

"Lex is fighting him!" Andy said, attempting to fight through the pain of a bleeding shoulder that the unforgiving ground had torn open as Justin wrapped his arm around her waist to help her get to her feet.

"I don't think so," Elden growled, seeming to gain the upper hand on his host. The dark fairy clenched his hand into a fist and forcefully swung his arm to the side. "Nighty night."

An immense pressure slammed into Andy and Justin and sent them hurtling into the side of the building. Their heads cracked against the red brick with a nauseating thud and they both fell to the ground unconscious.

Elden smiled wickedly to himself as he gazed at their unmoving bodies. There was only one more thing he needed before he could continue with his plan. He was thankful to the hacker he was inhabiting for restoring communication as he pulled Lex's cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number. He waited patiently while the device rang, turning his eye color back to Lex's as he did.

"Hey, Dean!" Elden said once the hunter answered. "Can we talk?... Great! I'm outside by the side entrance."

Elden disconnected the call, shoving the phone back in his pocket as he crossed over to retrieve Justin's gun. He turned it around to hold the barrel and moved to stand in front of the door, making sure to give Dean enough space to walk out. He wasn't waiting long before the elder Winchester was coming through the door, letting it fall closed behind him.

"What's up, Lex?" Dean asked slowly, the creepy grin he was met with sending up red flags in the hunter's mind.

Elden simply turned his head towards where Andy and Justin laid, Dean following the movement of his head with his own.

"Andy! Justin!" Dean exclaimed and hurried over to them, kneeling on the ground next to them to check for a pulse. "What the hell happened?!" He jerked his head to find Elden standing beside him. The elder Winchester's eyes narrowed dangerously when he saw glowing silver eyes staring back at him. "You! You son of—"

Dean wasn't able to finish his sentence before Elden whipped him in the side of the head with the butt of Justin's gun. The dark fairy laughed as he watched the hunter crumple to the ground with his consciousness now gone. He knelt beside him, rolling his body over and reaching in his front jeans pocket to pull out the keys to the Impala.

"Time for phase three."

* * *

Andy groaned as she slowly started to wake. Her head pounded, her body ached, and what was left of the sleeve of her shirt was tacky with drying blood. She tried to shift her arms and discovered her hands were bound behind her back with what felt like rope. As she forced her eyes open, she took stock of her new surroundings. The backseat of the Impala where she and Justin had been propped up was dark while the car sped along a stretch of road with tall trees on either side and judging by the bumpiness of the ride and the woods that continued to become denser the longer they drove, they were headed up into the mountains. That definitely wasn't a good sign.

Upon further inspection, she found Elden in the driver's seat mumbling incoherently to himself and she felt her stomach drop at the thought of what he may have done to Dean to get the keys to the Impala. Unfortunately, she couldn't focus on that at the moment. Justin, with his hands tied behind his back as well, was starting to come to beside her and if they had any hope of them getting out alive and pulling Elden out of Lex, they had to concentrate on what was in front of them. Justin's eyes finally fluttered open and after he took in his surroundings the same way she had upon awakening, he met her gaze. She could clearly see by his expression that they had the same thought ricocheting around in their heads: 

What the fuck do we do now?

"Oh good!" Elden drawled. "You're awake. For a minute there I thought you were going to sleep through the best part."

"What, cutting out hearts out?" Justin asked. "Pretty sure you're the only one excited for that."

"You may be right," Elden replied with a smirk. 

"Why the shifters and vamps?" Andy asked. "Why try to kill me in Providence if you needed me?" She and Justin had started to try slipping out of the ropes that bound their hands. It was imperative to keep Elden distracted.

"Simply a test, and to bring you all closer together," Elden said matter of factly. "While the ritual works regardless, it's so much stronger if the three share a bond and have proven to have fighting spirits." 

He paused in his speech when his head jerked to the side. Andy and Justin both saw it; Lex was still in there trying to fight his way to the surface.

"Why the demon?" Justin prompted, trying to keep him talking.

"Ajal was useful for a time," Elden continued. "He was ambitious and naive, but oh so very weak. When I offered him the chance for untold power in exchange for _ sharing _ his vessel for a time, he jumped at it. He was an idiot, though. All he had to do was kill Alston, and I had given him everything he needed to do it but he fucked everything up. So, I improvised, made it appear he killed me—just as I did with Lex—and moved right in. I, unfortunately, didn't realize how deeply we were connected." 

His eyes drifted to Andy in the rearview mirror. "I thought if he was exorcised he would leave me the vessel. That's where you and your friends came in. That obviously didn't go as planned. I was sent to hell and locked away with him until Asmodeus freed us. He told Ajal the spell had been translated wrong and his stupid ass believed me when I said I had no idea."

"How could you betray your own brother for power?" Andy inquired, disgust clear in her tone.

"Alston was blind!" Elden snapped. "He was in love with the humans. Wanted to see them _ prosper _! From what I've seen, he still carries those delusions!" The dark fairy chuckled darkly. "But, I suppose his obsession did help me out." He reached over into the passenger's seat to grab something and then held his hand up to show them Oberon's spear. "This will make cutting you both open so much easier. I'm sure you noticed it's sharp enough to cut through bone like butter."

Elden's whole body suddenly gave a violent jerk and the car started to swerve. He was barely able to regain control, throwing the spear back onto the seat beside him before they smacked into the tree line. A feral growl rose from his chest as he gripped the steering wheel and stared ahead at the road.

"He's fighting you," Andy said with a smile. "Looks like you fucked up getting rid of Ajal."

"You would think that," Elden said. "He won't be fighting so hard when he sees your hearts beating in his hands after I make his body rip them out. You see, this was the plan all along. Possessing one of you and killing Ajal. I had to get rid of my physical body to fuze with the demon and I need my own vessel to contain the power I will gain. I knew _ one _ of you would end up presenting yourselves to me. You are all just so obsessed with trying to save each other. It's really kind of pathetic. But now it's time to complete the final step of my plan. It really will be a sight to behold. It's a shame you won't live to see the end result."

The dark fairy then noticed the subtle shifting of his hostages' shoulders and arms and he laughed.

"Try maneuvering out of those restraints all you want," he said. "They are the same enchanted ropes that were on your friends in that factory. Every time you loosen them, they tighten right back up. The only thing strong enough to break them in your realm is an angel blade."

Andy and Justin shared a defeated look as their shoulders slumped. Their only hope now was their friends finding them in time or Lex somehow gaining back control.

* * *

"Dean!" Sam called urgently as both he and Frankie attempted to rouse the hunter.

They were both kneeling beside the man, maneuvering his body so his back was propped against the brick wall.

"Dean!" Frankie said loudly, shaking him gently once he was settled. "Man, you gotta wake up!"

Dean grunted, shaking his head side to side as he started to awaken. His whole head pulsed painfully, images of what had happened flooding back to him. "DAMMIT!" he shouted suddenly, trying to scramble to his feet. "We gotta go!"

"Go where?!" Sam asked as he and Frankie tried to stabilize his brother on his feet.

"Elden's in Lex!" Dean exclaimed. "He's got Justin and Andy!"

"Whoa!" Frankie said, Dean jerking away and starting to search his pockets. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Where the hell are my keys?" Dean growled.

"Dean!" Sam snapped.

The elder Winchester looked back and forth between the two hunters. "Lex called me and said he needed to talk to me. When I came out here Andy and Justin were unconscious on the ground. I went to check on them and when I turned to ask what happened, what I thought was Lex fucking pistol-whipped me!"

"How do you know it was Elden? I thought he was dead?" Frankie said.

"Well, I'm pretty sure Lex wouldn't hit me with a damn gun," Dean said, his anger building while he continued to search his person for his keys. "And I know for a fact he didn't have silver eyes earlier. But when we saw Ajal and Elden together their eyes were going between black and silver! Dude's not dead. I don't know how, but he's taken over Lex, he's got Andy and Justin, and...SON OF A BITCH!!! He's got my car!"

"Which means he has Oberon's spear, too," Sam added. "How do we even find them."

"Is Lex's computer still inside?" Frankie asked, his brain flying through their options as fast as he could.

"I think so," Sam said. "Why?"

"Because Andy never took off the tracking device Lex put on us," Frankie explained. "If it's still connected we should be able to find out their location."

Dean didn't hesitate to start stalking back towards the side entrance of the building. "Then let's find this asshat. He's gonna pay for whatever he's done to them and for touching my damn car!"

* * *

_ Lex lay flat upon his back, and his arms and legs felt like they were encased in concrete. His head pounded in time with his heart and his stomach churned with what felt like actual stones. Sweat poured down his face and soaked his clothes, making the fabric, or what was left of it, stick to his body. The sound of crackling and hissing flames, the smell of his own burnt skin, hair, and clothes, and the unimaginable heat invaded his senses. With a hard swallow, he fought back the bile threatening to come up his throat as he gazed around at the fire surrounding him at every angle. _

_He had almost gotten through that time! __When he had heard the dark fairy speak of hurting two of the most important people in his life again, he had tried to make a crack in the walls of the maze in his mind—the maze that Elden had created to keep him from forcing the being from his body._ _His anger had been building since he caught a glimpse of Elden touching Andy in the alleyway beside the pool hall and increased even more when he saw both her and Justin hurt. He had caught brief moments here and there when he focused hard enough and he had followed them. But this last time, he had gained enough footing and pushed the fairy back, had taken control of his body again—he could still smell the leather from the Impala. Then the fairy had thrown him back inside the maze and set the walls on fire. _

_ Lex hadn't given up and had gone at the flames as hard as he could, running through the scorching maze as fast as his feet would carry him until a fist had erupted from the fire and knocked him flat on his back. He had spent most of his life finding a way around firewalls and just because this one could physically hurt him didn't mean he was going to stop trying until he was through it. However, this wasn't normal fire. It was hotter than any flame he had ever encountered before and it seemed to be attracted to every move he made. It was also loud, louder than anything he had ever heard, and with every pop, crack, and sizzle came the dark fairy's taunting words: _

_ "She doesn't love you." _

_ "You were a pity fuck she got stuck with." _

_ "You're a burden." _

_ "All of them secretly wish the vampires would have killed you." _

_ "You're nothing but a nuisance they have to protect now." _

_ "They'll be happier without you." _

_ "She lied about wanting to build a life with you." _

_ NO!!! He wasn't going to let him win. Wasn't going to let himself believe the lies. Wasn't going to give up and lose himself He squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to focus. He drowned out Elden's words with the thought of Andy standing in his bathroom…their bathroom, taking off her make-up wearing his shirt. The moment he realized he loved her. The moment he knew she was the one for him. _

** _"He's fighting you!"_ **

_ Lex gasped when he heard her voice cut through all the noise. She knew he was trying to get back to her, trying to stop Elden. With every ounce of strength he could muster, he pushed himself back to his feet and with one deep breath he took off running once again down the complex network of burning walls. _

_ He could feel he was moving in the right direction, could almost hear Andy again. What was she saying? He focused hard, letting his brain concentrate on the sound of her voice and finally he heard Justin and somehow made out a transparent image over the flames. It hit him like ice water to the face that he could see them, but it wasn't long until his mind comprehended it and the stones he could feel rolling in his stomach ground together as they tried to evacuate through his throat. _

_ Elden was leading them through the woods by ropes wrapped around their wrists and the dark fairy gripped Oberon's spear tightly in his hand. Lex was almost out of time. He had to find the exit to this maze inside his head and he needed to do it now. _

* * *

Andy's fingers were numb and her palms tingled with a painful burn that went up to her wrists where the rope bit into her skin, getting tighter as she and Justin had no choice but to follow Elden through the trees and underbrush. They had fought when he dragged them from the backseat, trying to get away to no avail. The two hunters could see the evidence of Lex fighting against the dark fairy written all over his sweat-drenched face. However, instead of dealing with him, the war in their joint consciousness seemed to be driving him to complete his task before the hacker found his way to the surface. With every twitch and jerk of his body, he pulled them faster through the dense forest of the mountain.

Justin caught her eye and their gazes locked as they reluctantly followed their captor. They both knew they had nothing left to lose. She watched his eyes flick to the ropes connecting them to the dark fairy and then to the ones binding their wrists painfully together. When his bright green eyes snapped back to her she understood the plan forming in his mind. They had to distract Elden long enough to give Lex a chance to regain his control and the bindings attaching them to the dark fairy was their best chance. She gave him a slight nod to indicate she agreed, and they both started to brace themselves for the fight they knew was about to ensue. 

But just as she was about to pull she felt a hand close gently over her forearm. Her eyes met Justin's once again and she found the same confusion flooding his features that was on hers. When his mouth dropped open she knew he was hearing the same thing she was inside her head.

_ "Be ready to run. Stay together." _

They both knew the voice and tears of relief filled Andy's eyes as she watched Justin mouth the name to her. Alston was there. As much as he could be anyway. He was somehow reaching through from Avalon to them.

From one instant to the next, a loud crack of energy echoed through the trees and it took the two hunters a second to realize the ropes were falling from their wrists. Elden spun around, a feral growl rumbling from his chest when he realized why the restraints had gone slack in his hands. The three were locked in a staring competition for a few seconds before Justin grabbed Andy's hand in his and sprinted into the woods with her.

Justin tightened his grip on Andy's hand as they tore through the trees, weaving their fingers in an attempt to keep them together. They could hear determined footfalls from behind, closing in on them. Elden's taunting voice seemed to be coming from everywhere and as their lungs burned in their chest they both swallowed with the realization that the dark fairy didn't sound even remotely out of breath.

"You can't run forever," Elden chuckled. "Your energy will deplete. Mine won't."

They needed a moment to catch their breath, needed a place to hide. If they faltered out in the open, the dark fairy would surely catch up to them.

"You know, your heart doesn't have to be beating for the spell to work," Elden's voice resounded again. "And killing you both as painfully as possible is now at the top of my to-do list."

There was nowhere to hide that the dark fairy wouldn't find them and the gut-wrenching thought dropped into them harshly. His voice came from everywhere and no matter how hard they ran, they could hear his feet crunching on the ground just behind them.

"We have to fight," Justin wheezed.

"I know," Andy replied.

Simultaneously their footsteps slowed to a stop, their hands remaining joined as they fought to catch their breath before the dark fairy emerged. Still breathing hard, they watched as Elden materialized in front of them, his silver eyes blazing and his mouth twisted into a sick and psychotic grin that sent a shiver down their spines.

"Finally realized running was futile?" he asked, twisting Oberon's spear in his hand.

Andy felt Justin's hand drop from hers and she looked over to her fellow hunter, terrified by the resolve settling into his features.

"Tell Seth I love him," Justin said and charged towards the dark fairy.

"NOOOO!!" Andy screamed.

The scene playing out before her suddenly moved in slow motion as Justin closed the distance to Elden. The dark fairy laughed for a moment before his face contorted in pain. He grabbed at his head, giving Justin a chance to tackle him. The hunter seized the blade as he rolled on the ground with the now recovered fairy.

Something finally screamed in her brain and Andy snapped out of her trance. With nothing else left to do, she flung herself onto Elden's back when he tried to pin Justin to the ground. An inhuman roar ripped from the dark fairy’s lips as he wrapped his fingers around her arm, digging his nails into her skin and prying her off. He rose enough to throw her to the side and she crashed onto the ground. There was no time to brace for impact, no time to move her body to prevent injury, and she felt the bones in her left wrist snap as her hand connected with the ground.

Justin heard her scream of pain and took the small window of opportunity she had given him to pull his leg up.

"Sorry, Lex," he grumbled and rammed his knee into Elden's groin.

The dark fairy howled in pain, but instead of crumbling like the hunter had hoped, he shoved the spear into Justin's side.

_ "NOOOO!" Lex screamed and threw himself at the burning walls, kicking and punching at the flames. _

_ He could see Justin's face contorted in pain, the blood gushing around the weapon in his body. _

Elden's body spasmed violently as he tore the spear from Justin. The dark fairy screamed and thrashed, flinging himself off of the hunter and connecting with the ground. His back arched upwards as he howled.

Andy grit her teeth through the fire-like pain in her wrist and pushed herself to her feet. She stumbled over to Justin to try and pull him to his feet. 

"Justin, you gotta work with me," she begged, slipping her arms under his shoulders.

He coughed and blood sputtered from his mouth. "Andy, run!" he choked. "Leave me!"

He already laid in a pool of his own blood that was starting to seep into the dirt and could feel his own heart rate dropping. 

"No!" Andy shouted, tears spilling down her cheeks. "You're not allowed to give up on me! We've got a damn wedding to plan!"

"Andy, I'm dy—"

"Justin, no!" she said through clenched teeth."We _ will _ survive this!"

He reluctantly nodded and used what was left of his strength to help her get him to his feet. She flung his arm around her shoulders, letting him lean his weight into her right side as she hurriedly lead them away from the convulsing dark fairy. She knew she needed the spear, but at the moment she knew it was either Justin or the weapon and she had to get him away before Elden could finish Justin off.

As they quickly shuffled through the trees, his blood flowed down her shirt and covered her all the way to the knee of her jeans. She could feel him getting weaker, and she was so focused on his head bouncing up and down as he fought to stay conscious that she failed to notice the heat that started radiating from her pocket, the same pocket Alston had deposited something into back in Avalon.

"I can't," Justin whispered as his knees buckled, causing them both to tumble to the ground.

He was gasping for air and Andy scrambled over to him, trying to pull him back up with her one good hand. Tears rolled uncontrollably down her face and when he grasped her hand with his she collapsed to her knees with a sob.

"Justin, you have to fight!" she begged. "Please!"

She could see his eyes glazing over along with the stark paleness of his skin from the amount of blood loss. She squeezed his hand as she finally let herself believe what was happening. He was going to die, and there was nothing she could do but hold his hand. He was beyond the point of being able to talk and the grip on her hand was rapidly loosening. Then, finally, his eyes fluttered closed and his chest ceased to rise.

He was gone.

Rage flooded through Andy as she got back to her feet, the pain in her wrist forgotten when she heard Elden's howls abruptly cut off. Her eyes scanned the ground around her, finding a fallen branch close by. She ran to pick it up, feeling the weight in her good hand. It wouldn't kill the dark fairy, but maybe she could knock him around enough to let Lex break through. The hacker was close to winning. She could feel it. She just had to give him a fighting chance.

With a new resolve, she walked back to where she knew he had been, finding him standing there, ragged and out of breath with the same deranged look in his silver eyes and Oberon's bloody spear gripped tightly in his hand. She would see that beautiful amber color she loved so much again if it was the last thing she did.

"Not running anymore?" Elden asked as she stepped toward him.

"You won't win," she warned.

"But, I already have. Your boy just gave me everything he had and he still couldn't break free."

"Judging from how you look," she started raising the branch. "He just needs one more shot at you."

She didn't give him a chance to respond before she started swinging, trying her best to keep her grip on her makeshift weapon with one hand. Unfortunately, he was ready for her and could see her swollen and purple wrist. He grabbed the wood and twisted it, jerking it from her hand and bringing it back around to crash into her midsection.

She stumbled but remained standing. At least until fingers wrapped around her broken wrist and pain exploded through her system as Elden crushed it in his grip, delighting in the sickening sounds of her bones crumbling. She was at his mercy as he threw her to the ground and straddled her chest with his knees pinning down her shoulders.

"Time to die, bitch!" Elden said, barking out a dark laugh and raising the spear high above his head.

Her body was weak and the pain from her now crushed wrist blurred her vision, but she still had one last idea. "LEX!!!! FIGHT HIM!!!!"

_ Burns covered most of his body and he could feel Elden's presence starting to smother him, but the sound of Andy's desperate voice calling his name, telling him to fight, flooded him with renewed strength. He pushed past the overwhelming sensation of fire on his skin and rose to his feet, throwing himself at the wall of flames again. _

_ "GIVE ME MY BODY BACK YOU BASTARD!" _

Elden jerked, his face twisting as he started to convulse on top of Andy. When Oberon's spear dropped to the ground and the dark fairy’s eyes began flashing back and forth between silver and gold, she used what energy she had to buck her body. He went tumbling to the side, his arms jerking, legs pulling into his body as he thrashed against the battle in his mind. And, just as quickly as it started, he froze.

Andy grabbed the spear, standing on her knees and readying herself to do what she wasn't sure she could do if Lex didn't win the battle for his mind. Then his head rose and their eyes locked. A sob escaped her mouth when she saw that beautiful golden amber staring back at her.

"Lex?" she questioned, her voice trembling.

"It's me, babe," he replied, pushing himself to a sitting position.

The spear dropped from her hand and she flung herself forward into him, wrapping her arms around his neck while his circled around her and she let her tears fall without reservation.

"I thought I'd lost you!" she cried.

"You're the only thing that kept me hanging on."

"Lex, Justin...he's…"

"I know," he whispered. "I tried to stop—"

His words cut off as he started to cough and he pushed Andy away from him.

"Lex!" she screamed, terror gripping her chest while she tried to rush forward.

"No!" he screamed, falling back to the ground and clutching at his head. "Andy, run! He's trying to come back!"

"Lex, I won't leave you!"

He knew she wouldn't, knew without a doubt she would stick by him until the bitter end, even if that meant Elden killing her. The dark fairy was clawing wildly at his mind, fighting with everything he had to take control. Lex knew he couldn't let that happen—he wouldn't allow it. As his body thrashed on its own accord he caught a glimpse of Oberon's spear lying behind Andy and what he had to do crashed down on him. She was at his side now and he used her position to launch himself around her, grabbing the spear as he rolled and struggled to get to his feet.

It only took her a second to comprehend what he was going to do and she scrambled to her feet, trying to get to him before it was too late.

"I love you, Andy," Lex told her and he shoved the spear directly into his own heart to the hilt of the blade.

Blinding rays of dark purple light followed by ooze of the same color mixed with Lex's blood started to erupt from his wound. He could hear Elden screaming inside his mind as the dark fairy's life was extinguished and the blade propelled itself from Lex's body. The lights faded and his vision started to blur as he crumpled to the ground. The next thing he was aware of was Andy's sobbing while she pulled his upper body into her lap, her good arm supporting the weight of his head that he couldn't lift anymore. He forced himself to focus on her voice calling his name. He needed to see her one last time, and soon her devastated face came into focus.

"Lex, please don't die on me!" she pleaded desperately. "We won! We just won and we still have so much to do! A home, a life, marriage, babies, growing old together! Please! I need you, Lex! Please, don't leave me!"

His hand trembled with the exertion it took to raise it in order to cup the side of her face. He could feel his life slipping away and there was so much he wanted to say, and he knew he didn't have the time to say it all. "Kiss me."

Andy bent to press her lips to his, feeling his hand slip into her hair as they poured every bit of love and emotion into the single act. Tears fell from their eyes as the plans they had made for their future unraveled right before them. 

She kept her mouth on his until she felt his hand go slack and slip from her hair to fall on his chest. Screams and wails ripped from her lips as she pressed her forehead to his, begging God or whatever higher power that was listening to bring him back. 

She wasn't sure how long she sat there with his lifeless body in her lap, with her arms around him as much as she could manage due to her broken wrist, but finally, she raised her head and her eyes instantly fell on Oberon's spear glinting in the moonlight across from them.

Her eyes moved to the sky, her only fleeting hope entering her mind. "OBERON!" she screamed as loud as her sob-racked body would allow. "YOU WANTED TO GIVE HIM A GIFT?!?! THEN FIX THIS!!! IT WAS ONE OF YOURS THAT CAUSED THIS!!! FUCKING FIX THIS YOU SON OF BITCH!!!! BRING HIM BACK!!!" Her voice trembled, more tears flooding out of her eyes and her lungs constricting in her chest. "BRING THEM BOTH BACK!!!" Her emotion stole her ability to yell anymore and she brought her forehead back to Lex's, her body shaking with her crying. "Please," she whispered. "Bring them back. Please."

A loud, thumping sound suddenly filled the air around her and she raised her head to see Oberon's spear pulsating with a bright light that grew in its intensity with every beat until the glow engulfed Andy, Lex, and everything around them. She gasped as pressure landed on her shoulders and the last thing she heard before she lost consciousness was a loud crack of energy echoing through the trees.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: smut
> 
> Song at the end of the chapter is "Love Someone" by Lukas Graham.

_ Avalon _

_ Silver eyes and blood plagued Andy's dreams, smothering her with their weight as she screamed and fought to get away. Every time she was sure she had found a moment's peace, Lex or Justin appeared before her, lifeless and covered in their own blood. She called desperately for them, begging them to open their eyes. _

_ How many times she went through the cycle, she wasn't sure. It all started to blur together in an endless loop until something became different. It started at the back of her mind, a gentle tug of warmth beckoning to her. A voice she didn't know called her name and without knowing why she let herself succumb to the feeling of tranquility it offered. The gore around her finally started to fade away as she let the soft warmth fully envelop her. _

Andy groaned as consciousness returned to her, her surroundings slowly coming into focus and confusion settling in. She was in a large room with walls that appeared to consist of opaque blue crystal, and she was lying on a king-size fluffy bed covered with soft white linens. She blinked a few times, clearing the heaviness from her eyes and suddenly became aware that her left wrist was encased between two warm hands. Her eyes shot forward and she jerked her hand away to quickly sit up. She hastily scooted her body away from the woman she found sitting on the side of the bed until her back connected with the headboard.

She stared at the woman whose kind lavender eyes gazed at her, and, despite all of Andy's training, the woman's friendly smile disarmed her. Andy let her body relax as she studied the woman carefully. Her long hair that matched her eyes perfectly flowed down her back in soft curls and her flawless porcelain skin almost seemed to glow against the violet empire style dress she wore.

She was so entranced by the woman's ethereal beauty that it took her a few beats to realize that her wrist, which should be causing her crippling pain, wasn't hurting anymore. Andy's brow furrowed, bringing her hand in front of her to examine it. All the swelling and bruising that had formed was now gone, and when she cautiously worked the joint there was no pain. Who the woman was suddenly clicked in her head and with wide eyes she turned her gaze back to see her smiling.

"Eir…" Andy whispered, her arm falling back to her side.

"Yes, Alexandria," the goddess confirmed. "I must confess, I'm quite impressed you figured it out so quickly. It took the other two much longer to connect the dots."

"Other two?" Andy asked, a sense of hope flooding through her system that brought tears to her eyes. "Lex and Justin? Are they…"

"Yes, they were successfully healed."

"I have to get to them!" Andy exclaimed, jumping up from the bed and heading towards the door that she spotted on the other side of the room.

Quicker than Andy's brain could process, Eir was in front of her, placing her hands on the human's shoulders to halt her path. "Slow down, darling," Eir spoke soothingly to calm her. "You will be with them shortly. Oberon is making sure there are no traces of Elden left in Lex. You must wait until they are done."

Against her better judgement, Andy nodded and turned to take a seat on the edge of the bed. "Are we in Avalon?"

"Yes. You are in one of the guest rooms inside Oberon's palace."

"How did we get here?"

Eir smiled warmly, sitting next to the human. "That was Alston's doing. Why don't you check your pocket."

Andy did as the goddess instructed, her mind registering that the blood that had covered her clothes was gone before her fingers connected with something in her pocket. She quickly pulled the item out and smiled as she gazed at the small stone decorated with intricate carvings of circular and triangular patterns. "It's the same kind of amulet he gave Frankie, the one that's activated by the blood of the dying and puts us under his protection. He hid them from the reapers." She turned her eyes back to the goddess as her hand closed over the amulet. "This is what he put in my pocket when we were here talking with Oberon earlier."

"Yes. He knew there was a possibility of the events you witnessed happening and he knew he couldn't physically be there to help you."

"But he was," Andy insisted. "He cut the enchanted ropes Elden had on us."

Eir nodded slowly. "He did and he pressed himself quite thin to do so. He was nearly out of his magical energy when he created that amulet for you."

"Is he OK?"

"Oh, I do believe he is better than ever," Eir responded with a proud smile. "You'll see what I mean later."

Andy nodded as another question formed in her mind. "How did you know you needed to be here?"

"Oberon called in a favor. Said he owed two descendants of the Norse gods a gift and he needed to be able to deliver when he was called upon."

"So, he heard me?"

Eir chuckled, folding her hands in her lap. "Oh yes, he heard you loud and clear. That amulet also connects you to him in a way because he is the fairy king." She paused, regarding the woman next to her with pride. "Forseti would have been very proud of you and the things you have done. You have brought so much justice to the victims of the creatures you hunt."

"Would have?"

"Forseti left our world some time ago. I do miss him dearly."

The goddess waited patiently while Andy worked through the information in her mind, watching as new questions formed.

"So, Forseti and Loki are dead," Andy started. "Is that why Justin could use your magic and Lex and I never seemed to connect to any?"

"It is," Eir confirmed. "Our magic was slowly washed away in the bloodlines over the generations, and while the descendants are now born without powers, they do retain the ability to tap into their god or goddess' magic if it is truly needed. Unfortunately, if there isn't a living source to pull from, it will not work."

A soft knock at the door pulled their attention and both turned in time to see Lex walking through the door. The air stole from Andy's lungs as her eyes met his. He was here, right in front of her without a scratch or a hair out of place. The blood and dark purple ooze that had covered his shirt was gone, and the adoring smile on his lips directed toward her made her heart swell with love for the man she thought she had lost. 

Without words or hesitation, she bounded off the bed, rapidly crossing the room and jumping into his arms with her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck, and her lips molded to his the second she was close enough. His arms circled her midsection, holding her as close to him as he could while Eir slipped past them and out of the room, closing the door with a smile on her face.

Tears rolled freely down Andy's face as the kiss ended and she rested her forehead to his. "I thought… I was so afraid that…" She was forced to pause when a sob racked her body. "Please, tell me I'm not dreaming!"

"You're not dreaming, baby," he assured her. "I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

Her mouth crashed back to his, kissing him fiercely. Lips parting, tongues teasing, breathing increasing, her fingers twisting in his hair. She was so caught up in the moment she didn't realize he was moving until he bent to lay her on the bed, kicking his shoes off as he crawled onto the soft surface with her and slotted his hips between her legs.

"I thought I'd lost you," she said as his mouth moved to her neck and they both let their hands roam.

"I'm sorry," he said against her skin. "I didn't see any other way."

"I know," she gasped as he started to suck at her pulse point. "Mmm, Lex!" Her body arched into him when his hands palmed her breasts and he rocked his hips. Heat pooled between her thighs as she tugged at his shirt. "Need you, Lex!"

He moved to his knees, guiding her to sit up and pulling her shirt off. He made quick work of her bra, tossing both it and her shirt over his shoulder. He removed his own shirt as he moved to stand, pulling her ass to the edge of the bed while he did. With deft fingers, he unfastened her jeans and pulled them off along with her panties. Before the garments even touched the ground, he was bending over her and melding his lips to hers. She moaned into his mouth, her hands grasping at his shoulders as he rolled and tweaked one of her nipples with one hand while the other sought out her sex.

He groaned at the amount of slick already coating his fingers and he pushed two inside her, reveling in the mewls pouring out of her as he pumped his hand. Her hips bucked when he inserted a third digit, and her body arched, throwing her head back in ecstasy while she screamed his name. He kissed and nipped down her neck all the way to her breast and took her other nipple into his mouth. Teeth, tongue, and hands worked together until she was writhing beneath him, panting his name, and begging for him.

She whimpered at the loss when he ceased his ministrations and pulled away from her, a seductive grin on his face as he looked down at her with his hand on his belt buckle. Matching his expression, she propped herself up on one elbow and her other hand traveled down to her mound, playing with herself while she watched him pull his belt off and throw it to the ground.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her spread open below him, giving him a perfect view of her fingers rubbing fast circles on her clit, followed by rapid back and forth motions before she dipped two fingers into her folds. His cock was throbbing against the confines of his jeans and he quickly rid himself of the clothing, kicking them and his boxers to the side as soon as they pooled around his ankles. He waited for her fingers to move back to her clit and he lined himself up with her entrance and gripped her legs, lifting them into the air and spreading them wide. He slowly pushed in, watching his cock disappear inside of her, both of them moaning at the connection. 

"Fuck!" he rasped. "You feel amazing!"

Her back fell against the mattress and he started to thrust his hips and moved her legs to rest on his shoulders. He started at a steady pace, taking his time, pulling almost all the way out and then slamming himself back in. 

"Lex!" she cried out, her hands moving to twist in the blanket. She squirmed when his thumb landed on her clit and started to massage while he continued to snap his hips. "Lex!! Yes! Yes! Fuck, Lex! Fuck me harder!"

His hands moved to grip her ankles, quickly pushing her legs towards her head as he started to pound into her. The rapid change of position and pace stole her breath and she grasped at his wrist, panting and keening as he slammed into her at a relentless speed.

Her hands moved to his neck, lifting her upper body to crash their lips together and whimpering into the kiss while his cock dragged against every sweet spot inside of her. The room filled with the sounds of their pleasure, skin slapping against skin, and as the kiss ended she clung to him to stay in the position they were in. He could feel her walls clenching around him and he thrust into her harder, pushing her toward release.

"Love you!" he grunted. "Never letting you go!"

"Love—Ah! Ah! Fuck, Lex!—Love…love you too!! Fuck, Lex! I'm gonna… LEX!!!" She screamed his name as her orgasm crashed into her, her velvet walls constricting and spasming around him.

"Andy!" he groaned, his hips stuttering as her release pulled his own from him and he spilled his seed inside her.

He continued his movements until their joint euphoria subsided and then carefully untangled from her before lying down next to her, pulling her into his arms and kissing her deeply.

"I thought I'd never get to hold you in my arms again," Lex whispered, nuzzling his nose to hers.

"I'm still afraid I'm going to wake up and you’ll still be gone," she said, tears filling her eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere without you, babe." He kissed her softly and reached up to wipe away the tears that had fallen from her eyes. "You're stuck with me now."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

Oberon lounged in his extravagant throne of gold and jewels, tapping the butt of his now full-length spear on the soft blue marble-like flooring of his throne room impatiently. The fairy king's pale blue eyes drifted up to Alston standing beside him with his hands clasped behind his back. The fairy king couldn't help but smile at the elated look on the other fairy's face as he watched Eir and Justin joyously interact across the room. 

The goddess had instantly taken to her descendant and she eagerly soaked up any information about the hunter's life he was willing to share. Justin seemed just as equally enthralled with her and the king suspected the goddess would have an invite to the wedding he spoke of before they all parted ways. 

"Thank you, your majesty."

Alston's voice broke through Oberon's thoughts and he peered at his subject with interest. "For?"

"For saving my friends. For giving them a chance. You had every right to forbid me from being involved."

"All I did was call in a favor," Oberon said. "You are the one that refused to accept the fate that was to befall them in any path they chose." He paused for a moment as the fairy beamed at him. "I am very proud of you, hence the new rank."

"New rank?"

Oberon and Alston both turned at the new female voice to find Lex and Andy entering the throne room hand in hand.

"Ah!" Oberon exclaimed with jubilation, rising to greet them. "The love birds have emerged! You did not break my bed, did you?"

"No," Lex chuckled. "Left everything intact."

Andy, however, had missed the good-natured ribbing from the king when her gaze met Justin's. Tears sprang to her eyes for what felt like the millionth time as they both quickly crossed the room and wrapped one another in a tight hug.

"I swear," Andy said, her voice thick with emotion. "You ever scare me like that again and I'll kill you myself!"

Justin laughed, ending the embrace. "I promise I'll try not to fling myself at any more psychotic dark fairies."

Andy smiled, turning back to Alston and the king. "So, what's this about a new rank?"

Oberon grinned proudly and motioned for Alston to explain.

"King Oberon has bestowed upon me the honor of advisor to the king," the fairy explained.

"Alston that's fantastic!" Andy said. "But…does that mean you have to stay in Avalon?"

"As my advisor," the king interjected. "He will need to have consistent knowledge of what is going on in our neighboring realms, mainly Earth since Avalon is more connected there than any other. So, he will need to spend a lot of time there. It also gives him a bit of a power boost—he will not be forced to recharge in Avalon if a situation warrants a large amount of his energy."

"So," Alston added. "It appears you will all still need to have me around...if you'll have me."

"Are you kidding?!" Lex asked incredulously. "Of course we will!"

"Yeah, you're pretty much part of the family now," Justin agreed. 

"Speaking of family," Eir said, coming to stand next to Justin. "I believe you might have a whole slew of them looking for you three in those woods by now."

"Yes," Oberon confirmed. "We might want to return you before they find all the blood still soaking the ground. Alston can now teleport you all back easily with him."

"Your highness?" Andy questioned. "I do have a couple of questions before we head back."

"Yes?"

"Will Lex have any side effects from Elden's possession?"

Oberon's face fell as he calculated his response. "I have thoroughly examined Lex multiple times and have found no remnants of any lingering dark magic. However, this particular situation has never happened before to my knowledge. The spell used was specific to the spellbook Elden used and the book was destroyed when he was. I am afraid the only thing I can tell you with certainty is that he is safe for now."

"And what if he's not?" Andy asked.

"Then I give you my word that I will do everything in my power to fix it," Oberon promised.

"And I will be around to keep an eye on him," Alston added.

She wasn't entirely satisfied by the answer in the least, but she knew the king and Alston would stand by their vows, and she knew that she and Lex would tackle any issue head on. She nodded solemnly and moved to her next question. "Why couldn't Cas or Alston sense Elden? They were both around Ajal, and Cas was around Lex."

"Along with the book and the demon's power he absorbed, he was able to mask himself from even me. At least, until Lex started to fight against his control. The need to protect the people he loves, especially you, gave him the strength to quite literally tear Elden apart," Oberon explained, a heartfelt smile back on his lips.

"Someone fighting for the one they love can take down empires if they're determined and stubborn enough," Eir chimed in. "Two of the many traits heavily embedded in Loki's bloodline. Elden never stood a chance."

Lex crossed to Andy and slid his arm around her waist, gazing at her lovingly. "I think I have to say she's right," he said. "Nothing was going to stop me from getting back to you."

"Yes," Alston said, drawing the group’s attention. "I'm very glad you heeded my advice to follow your heart and not your head, Alexandria."

"Did you know all of this would happen?" Andy asked.

"I knew that the paths set out before you did not have a good outcome," Alston admitted. "But I never knew just how deep it would go and what all it would involve, or that my brother was the one behind it. I refused to accept that there was no happy ending, and I knew in my heart you would need each other to get to that happy ending."

"Thank you for believing in us, Alston," Andy said, beaming at the fairy.

"Is there anything else?" Oberon asked, bringing the attention of the room back to him.

"Not that I can think of," Andy said.

"Then it is time to get you home."

"Wait!" Justin said suddenly, turning to Eir. "Would you like to come to my wedding? I know Seth would love to meet you. I don't really have a whole lot of family besides us and everyone else who dealt with this whole cluster fuck…I probably shouldn't say fuck in front of a goddess, should I? I'm sorry, it would just really mean a lot to me to have you there. I understand—"

"Justin!" Lex cut in with a chuckle. "Give her time to answer, man."

Justin shot his friend a grateful look for halting his rambling and turned back to the goddess with cautiously hopeful eyes, waiting patiently for her answer. His face split into a large grin when she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"I would be honored to see you wed your love!"

Oberon chuckled softly at the turn of events he had seen coming as he turned to Alston. "Ready to stretch your new wings?"

"Absolutely," the fairy said enthusiastically.

* * *

_ Lander, Wyoming _

"Thanks, Terri," Sam said into his phone while he, his brother, and Frankie searched the dense woods around them. "Max and his pack are searching the trails and roads still with Ketch and Stiles, and Seth and Cas are combing through the woods where you last caught their location."

"Ok," Terri said through the speaker on his phone. "I'm sorry I can't do more than a two mile radius."

"You can't help that the signal was lost," Sam assured her. "We'll find them."

"I'll let you know if Rowena and I find anything," Terri said, the fear in her voice for her friends evident.

After a quick farewell, Sam ended the call and stuck the device back into his pocket. He fell in step with his brother and Frankie as they continued their search through the trees. They had arrived in the area over two hours prior to find Dean's car abandoned with the keys still in the ignition. They decided to split up in order to cover more ground. They had been hopeful at first, but as more time passed, the fear of not finding their friends—or worse, finding their dead bodies—was something none of them could deny.

"Sam! Dean! Frankie!"

Castiel's urgent call came from somewhere to their left and all three felt their stomachs drop to the ground as they wordlessly took off running towards the angel. When the trio made it to the small clearing that Castiel and Seth stood in, it took them a second to put together why the grave looks on their faces were directed at the ground.

Most of the two large pools of blood on the forest floor had soaked into the ground, but the slight discoloration between the untouched soil and the dried blood still coating the rocks in the area seemed to stick out in their vision like a neon sign as a million different scenarios went through their thoughts.

"Cas," Seth croaked, fighting back the tears in his eyes. "Can you…can you tell whose…"

Castiel nodded grimly and knelt down to place his hand on one bloodstain. After a few seconds, he moved to the other and repeated his actions. When he rose he met Seth's terrified eyes and had to turn his gaze back to the ground. "The one over there," the angel started, pointing to the first stain. “Is Lex's blood, but it appears to be mixed with fairy blood. That may mean that they were able to wound or kill Elden."

"But at what cost?" Frankie asked, his hands raking down his face as he leaned his back against a tree.

"Cas," Seth said, his voice thick with tears. "Who does the other belong to?"

Castiel couldn't bring himself to meet the man's eyes while he took a deep shuddering breath. "I'm sorry, Seth," he whispered.

Seth felt his knees buckle at the same time an arm wrapped securely around his shoulders. He looked up into the younger Winchester's empathetic eyes and then buried his face in his chest, unable to hold back his devastation any longer.

"What about Andy?" Dean asked, hanging his head in defeat. They were too late. His only hope was maybe, just maybe, they could still save Andy.

"None of the blood is hers, but…" Cas paused as he released a sigh. "That doesn't mean…"

"That doesn't mean she's alive," Frankie mumbled, feeling tears sting his own eyes but holding it back for Seth's sake.

Castiel was the first to notice the sudden shift in the atmosphere. The angel's head rose as the scent of ozone filled his nose, the air now charged with a slight electrical current that danced across his skin. He finally looked to Dean and Frankie, the look on their faces showing that they were feeling the same sensations as they pulled their guns. 

"Sam," Dean whispered in warning.

The younger Winchester pulled his attention from his broken friend and immediately understood that something wasn't right. He wordlessly nudged Seth and they broke apart, pulling their guns as well.

Something was coming.

Moments louder a loud crack echoed around them, and the hunters almost dropped their guns at the sight that materialized. 

Standing in front of them were Lex, Andy, Justin, and Alston. Even through the shock of seeing their friends, their hunter instincts roared in their head and they aimed their guns directly at Lex.

Alston quickly put himself between the hunters and the barrels pointed at Lex, holding his hands up in surrender. "Guys! It's just Lex now! Everyone has been put back together the way they are supposed to be!"

Seth met his fiancé's eyes, searching them for the reassurance he needed, fresh tears springing to his eyes when he found it. "It is you!" he cried and his gun fell to the forest floor. He ran to him and their arms instantly wound around each other as their lips crushed together.

The Winchesters and Frankie relaxed, slowly letting their brains accept that what they were seeing was the real deal.

"It's really us," Andy said as she crossed over to Frankie.

He regarded her skeptically for just a moment before he pulled her to him, wrapping her in a hug that nearly cut off her airflow. "Seriously, Andy! You gotta stop doing this shit to me!"

"What the hell happened here?" Dean finally asked when Frankie reluctantly released Andy.

"We should all probably get everyone together," Lex said. "It's not a fun story and I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say we don't want to have to tell it more than once."

* * *

The sun was just starting to crest over the mountains in the distance as the mismatched group filed into _ Full Moon Billiards. _ Gina and her brothers had stayed behind to clean up any evidence of what had happened in the woods and Max had sent the rest of the pack home to get ready to return to business as usual. The Winchesters, Castiel, Frankie, Andy, Lex, Seth and Justin were already inside with Rowena and Terri by the time the pack leader walked in with Ketch and Stiles behind him. Stiles had beelined to his sister the moment he laid eyes on her and hugged her like he was scared to death she would disappear if he let go. When he finally pulled away, everyone took a seat around the tables still pulled together from their premature celebration.

With a collective deep breath Lex, Andy, and Justin explained what had happened to them with Alston filling in his parts as they were needed. A brief silence settled over the group when their story ended, each of them looking to the other as their words sunk in.

"Well," Ketch started, leaning back in his chair. "It appears Lex is officially a hunter now."

"What?" Lex asked, looking at the man with questions in his eyes.

Seth chuckled lightly before he answered for Ketch. "You died and came back to life."

"Yeah," Frankie added. "Pretty sure everyone in this room, except for Stiles and Terri, has died _ at least _ once."

"It's almost a really messed up right of passage," Dean concluded.

"I'm good not being in that club," Terri said.

"Same," Stiles agreed.

Lex just nodded somberly, squeezing Andy's hand when she slipped it into his.

"So, are we sure Elden is dead?" Sam asked after a beat.

"We are sure," Alston confirmed. "King Oberon took measures to confirm it himself."

"So what do we do now?" Rowena asked.

"Don't know about the rest of you," Justin said. "But food is pretty high on my priority list."

"And sleep," Andy added.

"Terri and I need to call Gauge," Stiles said regretfully. "I'm not really looking forward to that conversation."

"Then put it off for another hour," Max suggested. "All of you go get something to eat then call the man."

"That's not really protocol," Terri said 

"Has _ any _ of this been protocol?" Lex asked incredulously.

Terri couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled from her chest. "I guess not. Where's the nearest breakfast place?"

After deciding on where they would all eat and how they were getting there, Lex stood at one of the tables, very slowly putting away his laptop and other devices he had used. He took as much time as possible, giving everyone but Max time to clear out of the pool hall. Once he had assured Andy he would follow her out in a few minutes, it was finally just him and the pack leader in the billiards. The werewolf wore a huge grin on his face as he took a seat across from where Lex stood.

"You look like a man who wants to have a conversation," Max said happily.

"Am I that obvious?" Lex asked, a smile pulling across his lips.

"Let's just say I know the look."

Lex chuckled, zipping up the black leather bag now housing his computer. "Guess that does make this a little easier." 

Max laughed boisterously. "So are you gonna ask me or what?"

"Can I get your nephew's number that owns the jewelry store?"

* * *

The next morning found Lex and Andy tangled up together in their own room at the motel they had been staying in originally with the Winchesters and Frankie. Max had seen to it that each of them had a room for the night after he had convinced them to get some rest before they headed out of Lander. It hadn't taken much to persuade them, being that they were all exhausted and the couples each needed time to do just as Max said. Even Gage had agreed that Terri and Stiles should stay and rest, though Andy was sure that decision had been mostly her brother's.

Lex pulled Andy closer to him, wrapping his arms around her and placing lazy kisses on her lips, cheeks, and anywhere else he could easily reach in their position as her eyes started to flutter open. They had taken advantage of the time alone without a looming threat over their heads. They had fallen into bed the moment their door was locked and spent the night showing just how much they loved each other until they had fallen asleep holding one another.

"Good morning, beautiful," he whispered.

"Good morning, handsome. How long have you been awake?"

"Just a few minutes," he replied, nuzzling his face against hers. "Couldn't resist kissing you when you started to stir."

She smiled and pressed her lips to his, her fingertips tracing down his bare back. "What do you say we—"

Andy's suggestion was cut off by a knock at their door that was quickly followed by Frankie's voice. "Hey! You guys need to get up! Gage is here and he wants to talk to us."

"Uh…" Andy stammered as she called back. "Give us five minutes to get dressed."

She met Lex's eyes and found them reflecting the same question she knew was in her own: Now what?

As promised, five minutes later Andy and Lex opened their door. To their surprise, Frankie was still there, only now, the Winchesters and Gage were with him. The four men wordlessly filed into the room and Andy instantly noticed the manila folder in the director's hand.

"What's going on?" Andy asked as Lex shut the door and took his place to stand next to her.

The Winchesters and Frankie held guarded expressions on their faces and she could tell they felt as uneasy about the director's sudden appearance as she and Lex did.

"I had to debrief Stiles and Ms. Lowell," Gage started to explain. "Make sure our stories were straight and got them on a plane back to Langley."

"That doesn't explain what you're doing here talking to us," Frankie stated.

"Yes, well, I would like to do this with just you and Andy," he said, looking pointedly at the Winchesters and Lex.

Sam and Dean took one look at each other and sat down at the small table in the room while Lex slipped his hand into Andy's, all three making it perfectly clear that they weren't going anywhere.

"We don't take orders from you anymore," Andy reminded him.

"Lex does," he shot back.

"Are you really going to do this, sir?" Lex asked, forcing a respectful tone into his voice. Stiles had said he explained everything that had happened to the director and for him to come in without so much as an "Are you OK?" and demanding his absence made Lex's blood boil.

"I guess not," Gage said. "I'm here to reinstate your military status." He held up the folder in his hand for emphasis.

Confused shock rippled around the room.

"I'm sorry, what?!" Andy demanded.

"The President, after being filled in on what occurred yesterday, has decided he acted too rashly in ordering your discharge," Gage told them. "He would like to reinstate you both with a promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Your first order of business is a small town in Germany that needs your brand of expertise."

"So, you want to get rid of us?" Frankie asked flatly.

"No," Gage said, his professionalism dropping slightly. "We are trying to make up for deserting you."

"And sending us out of the country is the way to do that?!" Andy asked, her ire evident. "Do we even have a choice in the matter?!"

"Of course you do, Andy!" Gage said. "But I really don't see why you would turn it down. We've been there to support what you're doing for so long—"

"Until we needed you most," Andy cut him off. "The people we fought with yesterday—"

"They weren't _ all _ people!" Gage snapped.

Andy had to check her anger before she continued. "The _ people _ we fought with yesterday are the ones that had our backs and they are the ones we trust."

"Andy's right," Frankie added. 

"So what are you saying?" Gage asked.

Andy glanced at Frankie. She knew what she wanted, but it was _ their _ choice together. He smiled, completely understanding the look in her eyes.

"You know I'll follow where you lead, oh fearless leader," Frankie said.

She nodded and turned back to the director, squeezing Lex's hand for reassurance as she did. "With all due respect, Tom, we're declining your offer. We both have too much here to leave now. We know a couple of hunters we can call to help out in Germany who are more than capable of handling whatever situation they are dealing with."

The director looked between the former majors with agitation in his features, his eyes ultimately falling on Lex. "You realize how hard it will be for her to be cleared to live with you, correct?"

"Then I guess you better make sure she and Frankie are both approved," Lex said defiantly. "Cos if not, you can expect my resignation letter on your desk the second I step foot back in Langley."

Gage bristled at his employee's defiance but quickly schooled his reaction. "Well, then I guess I better make sure everything goes smoothly."

"That would be the best for everyone," Lex agreed. "Hopefully it's all squared away when we get back to town next week."

"Next week?!" Gage snapped. "What the hell, Lex?!"

"Lex needs time to recoup," Dean finally spoke up. "I know you're aware of what he went through."

"I hope you'd agree he needs a few days of paid medical leave," Sam added. "I mean, he did kinda save the world. What do you think would have happened if Elden got all that power?"

"Fine!" Gage relented. "One week."

The director didn't wait for any response before he stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"That went better than I thought it would," Frankie admitted.

"I think we _ all _agree on that," Lex said.

"Think we can help Seth and Justin plan their wedding in that amount of time?" Dean asked.

"We've pulled off bigger things in less time," Sam reminded him.

"Plus," Andy added, "We have a very excited and eager goddess wanting to help with that. I think we're good."

* * *

_ Langley, Virginia _

_ One Week Later _

Seth and Justin's wedding had been planned rather quickly and easily with the help of Eir, and the wedding itself went just as smoothly. Taking advantage of it being just after the Fourth of July, Sam and Dean set up a fireworks display for the reception that, had Max's brother not been the sheriff and helping set them off, would have probably gotten them arrested for disturbing the peace. The couple left shortly after for their honeymoon, a wedding gift from Alston, and the rest of the group slowly dispersed. Rowena and Ketch left off to different parts of the US, the Winchesters and Castiel headed back to their bunker, and Lex, Andy, and Frankie went home to Langley. 

They had landed from the flight early enough that Frankie was eager to mill about the town to see what had changed since the last time he had been there. Lex and Andy told him where the apartment was and both smiled as they watched him go. Not long after, they walked into their now shared home and dropped their bags to the floor. Silence held over them for a moment as they looked around. They had each had moments where they had thought they would never see the place again. But now they were both glad to be home.

Lex smiled as he walked up behind Andy and wrapped his arms around her midsection and kissed her neck. "Welcome home, my love."

She grinned happily, tilting her head to one side and bringing a hand up to card her fingers through his hair. "It's good to finally be here again."

"How long do you think we got til Frankie gets here?" Lex asked, moving his lips along her neck to her ear.

A breathy sigh escaped her and she turned to wrap her arms around his shoulders and captured his mouth with hers. "Couple hours. He said he'd call and give us a heads up."

"Well, in that case," he said, dropping his hands to her thighs to hoist her up and wrap her legs around his waist. "I wanna make love to you in _ our _ bed."

* * *

_ Lander, Wyoming _

_ October _

Life had quickly returned to normal after Seth and Justin's wedding. Well, at least to the _ new _ normal Lex had accepted. Joshua had made certain that Andy and Frankie received the benefits they had earned during their service and around mid-August, Frankie was able to find his own apartment in the same building as Lex and Andy's. Lex went back to work, as did Terri and Stiles. Seth resumed the responsibility of his coffee shop, with Justin helping when he was there. Andy, Frankie, and Justin started hunting together, finding cases close to home when they could, but occasionally making the trip to help the Winchesters and Castiel. Lex and Seth helped all of them when they could, either with their own expertise or physically being there. Thankfully, none of their cases had brought anything big their way.

All in all, life was good.

Lex received a call from Max one day to tell him he needed to come pick up a certain item he had ordered back in July before they left Lander. The hacker was on the next flight out, swallowing his hatred of flying as much as he could. He rented a car upon his arrival and drove straight to _Full_ _Moon Billiards_ as fast as possible. He was immediately greeted with hugs from Gina, who was now sporting neon green hair, and handshakes from her brothers and Max. After some small talk and catching up, the pack leader led Lex back out to the parking lot where they got in the werewolf's truck and pulled out onto the main road.

"So, what did you tell her you were doing?" Max asked from the driver's seat.

"I didn't tell her anything," Lex admitted. "She's on a hunt with Frankie and Justin in South Carolina. They promised to keep her busy until I get back."

"Nice. I take it you have talked to Frankie and her brother then?"

"Yeah, they're all for it. Talking to her dad after the holidays when he and her mom get back from Ireland."

"Good man," Max said proudly. "Any progress on the when and where you told me about?"

"Yeah," Lex said with a smile. "Everything is slowly starting to fall into place."

"Fantastic! She's gonna love it!"

"I hope so," Lex said, a little nervousness slipping into his tone.

The two filled the rest of the drive discussing Lex's plans and Max encouraging the hacker when he noticed some anxiety. Before long, the werewolf parked in front of a white building. Lex could barely contain his excitement when he read the sign hanging above the entrance to the business.

_ Heathrow Jewelers _

* * *

_ Langley, Virginia _

_ January _

The holidays went by quickly. Thanksgiving had been spent in Lebanon with the Winchesters and Castiel where Lex, Terri, and Stiles marveled at everything the Men of Letters bunker contained. Max had come with his daughter, sons, and a turkey big enough to feed an army, and Andy along with Frankie happily prepared it while Seth and Justin worked on the sides and of course…the pies.

For Christmas, the group convened in Virginia where Seth and Justin closed down the coffee shop for the day for their festivities. Even Eir was present. New year's eve found them all back in Lander at Max's pool hall and they all happily rang in the new year together with champagne and fireworks.

A few days after the New Year's celebration, everyone returned to their respective states and Lex prepared for the arrival of Andy and Stiles' parents. It hadn't been the first time he had met them, but seeing them as Andy's boyfriend had made him just a tad nervous. Of course, those nerves paled in comparison to what he was feeling now as he waited for Mr. Stiles to meet him at the Italian restaurant close to the hotel where he was staying with his wife.

Lex fidgeted with the tie around his neck, looking down to make sure his dress shirt was still wrinkle-free, smoothing down his already smooth hair all while continuously shifting in his seat. He got lucky that Andy's mom had suddenly decided she wanted some one-on-one time with her daughter that night. Knowing that they were at a restaurant in D.C. helped his nerves just a little. At least he wouldn't have to come up with some reason why he wanted to have dinner with her dad alone. However, at that moment he was kicking himself for not accepting Stiles' offer to come with him.

When Mr. Stiles walked through the door and made his way to the table, Lex stood to shake his hand and then they sat, looking over their menus and making small talk. With their orders placed and full wine glasses now on the table, Mr. Stiles looked at Lex with a large grin on his face.

"So, I'm guessing you didn't want to have dinner tonight just for the hell of it."

Lex fidgeted subconsciously. "Uh… Yeah… I mean... No… Am I that obvious?"

Mr. Stiles laughed and sipped his wine. "Not really. I just remember having this exact dinner with my father-in-law before he was my father-in-law. My advice is to just jump right in and get the question out."

Lex nodded, laughing nervously as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a small, blue velvet ring box. He stared at the container just for a second before he handed it to Andy's father and looked the man in the eyes. "I would like to ask your permission to ask Andy to marry me."

Mr. Stiles’ smile lit up his entire face as he opened the ring box and peered inside. "Of course you have my blessing, Lex." He handed back the container. "She's going to love the ring."

* * *

_ Yellowknife, NWT, Canada _

_ March _

Lex wasn't entirely sure how he had managed to pull it off. Of course, he did have a lot of help from his friends and money definitely talked when they hit a snag none of them could figure out. But he had managed to get everyone together in the four cabins he had rented deep in the Canadian wilderness with the excuse of celebrating birthdays that had passed that they weren't all able to be together for, along with the upcoming ones as well. He had made sure that the quaint little lodging he and Andy were staying in had a large solarium attached, and he was currently setting the space up for something he had planned for later that night.

Seth, Justin, and Rowena happily helped set up the interior of the house for what Lex hoped would be a celebration later while he worked diligently on his tasks in the all-glass room. His stomach flipped when he glanced at his watch after hanging a large curtain that blocked the view of the solarium from inside the house. Max, Gina, Tommy, and Spence would be back in thirty minutes with the food, Terri and Stiles would be there in fifteen minutes with the extra flowers he had ordered, and the Winchesters, Castiel, and Frankie would be back from their hike with Andy in forty-five minutes. It was time to get himself ready.

He met Justin's eyes in the kitchen as he entered the house, carefully closing the glass door so he wouldn't knock the curtain down. The other man smiled to himself while he unpacked bottles of champagne, wine, and beer from the box in front of him on the counter.

"How ya doing, man?" Justin asked as Lex made his way through the living room that joined with the kitchen.

"I don't think I've ever been so nervous in my life," Lex said honestly, drumming his fingers anxiously on the counter. "What if she doesn't like it?"

"There's no way that's even in the realm of possibilities, Lex. Stop overthinking it. Everything is going to go perfectly tonight," Justin assured him, pointing a bottle of champagne at his friend for emphasis.

"Did Rowena get Andy's dress?" Lex asked, ignoring his friend’s encouragement.

"Yes," Justin said without missing a beat. "Same sundress she wore on your second date. Good thing that solarium is temperature-controlled."

"Frankie and the others know to take her in the back door when they get back right?"

"Yes, Lex. Rowena, Terri, and Gina will be there to usher her up the stairs to get ready with them before she even has time to think."

Lex nodded, mentally going through a to-do list in his head. "Does Stiles—"

"Dude," Justin cut him off with a laugh. "Everyone knows what they are supposed to do and everything has been taken care of up to this point. Tonight will be perfect, then we will celebrate, and finally you and Andy will celebrate alone. Now get your ass upstairs and get ready."

"But—"

"Go!"

Lex flashed his friend a grateful smile before he turned to do as he was told.

* * *

Lex had never had a panic attack in his life, but when he heard Andy along with the Winchesters, Castiel, and Frankie enter the cabin, he thought he just might. The chocolate brown button-down he wore with his dark wash jeans suddenly felt sweltering. His breathing became irregular, and he swore he could actually _ hear _ his heartbeat. There was a bit of commotion coming from near the back door and then he heard four sets of footsteps head up the stairs. But it wasn't until Frankie entered the living room with a reassuring thumbs up that he finally relaxed just a little.

Lex helped Justin pour glasses of champagne while the rest of the hunters, angel, and werewolves filtered into the room to take up the finishing touches on what Andy was led to believe was a birthday party. Stiles came behind Lex, placing his hands on the hacker's shoulders and squeezing.

"You got this, Lex," Stiles said encouragingly.

Lex simply forced a smile as he watched the CIA operative move to help the Winchesters set up the dining room table with food. The hacker wasn't sure how much time had gone by, but before he was ready, he heard four sets of footsteps descending the stairs and walking into the joint living room and kitchen. He looked up just in time to have his breath hitch in his throat when he laid eyes on Andy. She was indeed wearing the same simple navy blue, off the shoulder sundress with a flowing skirt cut just above mid-thigh that hugged her curves, showing off her tantalizing figure. He felt a smile finally turn up his lips when her head tilted in question and she realized he was wearing the same thing he had worn on their second date as well.

"Why is the solarium covered?" she asked, walking further into the room. When a silence fell over the room she turned to face the group, who all suddenly looked very guilty as they tried to avoid eye contact. "Guys…what's going on?"

Lex felt every bit of his nerves and anxiety wash out of him and walked up to her with a smile on his face bright enough to make the sun jealous. "Close your eyes and I'll show you," he said, holding out his hand to her.

She stared at him with a hint of skepticism as a smile flitted across her lips for a brief moment before she placed her hand in his and closed her eyes. She felt him lead her across the room and into the solarium. When the door clicked closed, he kissed her on the cheek and whispered that she could open her eyes as music started to play.

She gasped at the sight before her. Arrangements of stargazer lilies and dark purple irises lined the perimeter of the glass room accented with sphere-shaped opaline vases housing tea light candles floating in water. In one corner of the room was a small round table covered in more candles and flowers with a small speaker nestled into the sweet-smelling blooms. However, the sight that really took her breath away was the northern lights in perfect view above their heads. Vibrant hues of pinks, greens, and golds swirled high in the sky creating a perfect view.

"Lex," she whispered as he swept her up in his arms and swayed to the music.

"You said you wanted to see them again one day."

He kissed her softly as the words to the song surrounded them.

_ There are days _

_ I wake up and I pinch myself _

_ You're with me, not someone else _

_ And I am scared, yeah, I'm still scared _

_ That it's all a dream _

"Lex, this is absolutely perfect," she said, tears of joy forming in her eyes as he rested his forehead to hers. They had come so far and there was still nowhere either of them would rather be than right beside each other.

"I'm so glad you like it," he said, a smile still lingering on his lips as he sang the second verse to her.

_ When you say _

_ You love the way I make you feel _

_ Everything becomes so real _

_ Don't be scared, no, don't be scared _

_ 'Cause you're all I need _

_ And you still look perfect as days go by _

_ Even the worst ones, you make me smile _

_ I'd stop the world if it gave us time _

He kissed her softly, letting his lips linger before he looked deeply into her eyes and continued singing the rest of the song to her.

_ All my life _

_ I thought it'd be hard to find _

_ The one 'til I found you _

_ And I find it bittersweet _

_ 'Cause you gave me something to lose _

_ But when you love someone _

_ You open up your heart _

_ When you love someone _

_ You make room _

_ If you love someone _

_ And you're not afraid to lose 'em _

_ You'll probably never love someone like I do _

_ You'll probably never love someone like I do _

_ You'll probably never love someone like I do _

As the music slowly faded away, they stayed locked in their embrace, looking into the other’s eyes, both not being able to see a future without the other.

"There's a reason why I did this," Lex finally said, kissing her again.

"And what's that?"

He took a deep calming breath as he released her and pulled the blue velvet ring box from his pocket. Andy's eyes went wide, tears filling her eyes again as she watched him drop down to one knee before her, taking one of her hands into his free one.

"Andy," Lex started, his own eyes glistening. "I didn't think I would ever be lucky enough to find someone I would consider spending my life with. Then you walked into OTS and within a day I couldn't imagine my life without you. I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love someone. You make me happier than I ever dreamed I could be, and if you'll let me, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make you just as happy."

He took his hand from hers and opened the ring box to reveal a three-stone diamond ring with a braided band of white and rose gold accented with smaller diamonds and blue sapphires.

"Will you marry me, Andy?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed, her voice thick with the joyous tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. "Yes, Lex! A thousand times yes!"

He grinned widely as he slipped the ring on her finger and rose to wrap her in his arms again, kissing her fiercely.

"I love you, Andy!"

"I love you, too, Lex!"

Their lips molded together again as a knock resounded through the room followed by Frankie's excited voice.

"Can we come in yet?! We're dyin' out here!!"

Andy and Lex both laughed as they granted them access and the room was suddenly filled with their friends…their family. Cheers erupted in the room when Andy held up her hand to show them the ring and the couple was congratulated with hugs all around. They celebrated well into the night with the party they had set up—that Andy now realized was her and Lex's engagement party, each of them revealing the parts they played in Lex's elaborate plan to propose to her that he had been orchestrating since July.

Eventually, the others filtered out to their respective cabins, leaving Lex and Andy alone. Their lips were joined before they even made it all the way up the stairs. Clothes started coming off as they made their way down the hallway and they were completely bare to each other by the time Lex laid her gently on the bed with himself on top of her. He couldn't stop the smile that spread across his lips as he gazed down at his beautiful fiancé.

"Make love to me, Lex," Andy said, reaching up to card her fingers through his hair.

"Everyday for the rest of our lives," he promised and kissed her lovingly.

  


_ **The end…for now...** _

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who stuck around til the end with this one and I hope you liked the ending! I put a lot into this story and it really means a lot to me. There is a sequel in the works, but I have a couple other projects I plan on completing before.


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